Lost in Mirkwood
by Brilaglar the Half-Elven
Summary: *FINISHED* Not your average 'girl-dropped-in-Middle-Earth' story. Lauren wakes up in Mirkwood...and the rest is for you to find out. Interesting twist at the end and there is lots of LEGOLAS. Kinda M/S. Don't say I didn't warn u. R/R! CHICK FIC!!
1. Dreaming

I did this story before but now I plan on making it better. The Elvish is as correct as I could get it, but it might not be 100% right. Don't leave me comments on how I got a word wrong, cause I don't care. You'd be wasting your time probably. Okay, now enjoy my Leggy fic :)!!  
  
Dreaming  
  
Lauren looked up from her Return or the King book with sleepy eyes. "Are we close yet?" she asked. You see, she was moving across the country [USA] from South Carolina to LA California.  
  
Her dad glanced at her in the review mirror. "A few more hours. Get some sleep."  
  
Lauren laid down on her pillow, but expected to get no sleep, but before she knew it, all went black and she FELT asleep...but was she asleep?  
  
  
  
"...Kuruni?" [Good witch?]  
  
"Car vanya teren kuruni tul..." [Make beautiful, slender witch come]  
  
Lauren woke up with blurred male figures standing above her. One of them bent down and leaned over her face, but another pulled him away, sort of yelling at him. She blinked a few times and the shapes became clear. They were men with long, straight blond hair and there faces were beautiful and perfectly flawless. They talked to each other in a sweet, song-like tongue.  
  
Lauren looked around for a moment, around the yelling figures. She looked at the trees in the dark and gloomy forest all around her. She was laying flat on damp grass and dirt.  
  
"Where the hell am I?" Lauren yelled, getting up, not really expecting the two men to answer her in English.  
  
"In Mirkwood, my lady," said the especially handsome one. "And I am..."  
  
"Uume quente, haryon!" [Do not speak, prince!] Lauren flinched at the other man's snapping. "Wanya!" [go]  
  
'Mirkwood?' Lauren wondered. 'That sounds really familiar.' The angry man took his spear and pointed it at Lauren and pointed forward. "Go."  
  
"But I..." Lauren tried to argue. Who were these guys anyways and why would she obey them.  
  
"GO!" He repeated, pointing the spear closer to her.  
  
"Fine!" she grumbled, walking on the path where he had pointed.  
  
'Where am I? Who are these guys?' Lauren wondered. She glanced at the handsome man next to her. These were very strange men...the weird thing was something about them wasn't man-like. Lauren took in everything about them she could. They didn't blink, they walked without sound, without even stirring a leaf, and they were very...angel-like. The two were very different. The one with the spear was always stern-faced, but the other one seemed peaceful and carefree. He seemed to have this desire to talk too, but the other one kept on hushing him.  
  
"So where are you taking me?" Lauren said, finally gathering the courage to speak.  
  
"Do not be frightened, we are..."  
  
The stern faced elf, turned to the peaceful elf and put his finger to his lips. Then they leaned together whispering, behind Lauren. "She could be evil. We have no idea. We can't speak to her."  
  
"She doesn't seem evil."  
  
Lauren could only make out that, but they talked for a few minutes, most things she didn't understand.  
  
  
  
Lauren was taken down some stairs under the foggy forest. She couldn't see anything in the complete darkness. After stumbling a few times, the men had to hold her arms and lead her through. Strangely they seemed to make it through the darkness with no trouble at all.  
  
'I get it, I'm dreaming,' Lauren told herself. 'In a minute mom will wake me up telling me we're home.'  
  
Finally they came across a big door, which they yelled at for a moment in their strange tongue and it opened. On the other side of the door was a wonderful hall-like place with doors all along the side. There were also more of these strange kinds of perfect-blond people walking about. The large hall had a long green carpet laid on the floors and silver walls with pictures in forest-green frames. Four golden chandeliers that Lauren could see, hung along the hall's ceilings.  
  
Lauren gaped at the sight with her mouth hanging open. "It's beautiful," she said.  
  
The peaceful-man beside her nodded with a smile. "Very," he said quietly.  
  
"Now, you will meet our king and he will decide what to do with you, trespasser," said the hard-faced man. He grabbed Lauren by the arm and yanked her down the hall. Lauren looked back to see the cheerful man following, but not so cheerful looking anymore.  
  
"You need not be so harsh, Morlith!" said the peaceful man.  
  
"And you need not be so careless, Legolas," snapped the one pulling my arm.  
  
I gasped. Legolas? Legolas Greenleaf from the book series I was reading? No, it couldn't be. Wow, what a strange dream!  
  
  
  
I swear it'll get more interesting, especially at the end you'll be like 'wow!' Okay, till next time ;) 


	2. Strangest Paintings

Thank u for all the GREAT reviews already! I'll try hard to keep this good.  
  
Strangest Paintings  
  
"Let's see what our king thinks of you when you meet him tomorrow!" Morlith pushed Lauren through a door that was inside of the hall and it led to a beautiful bedroom. "Stay in here tonight. Someone will bring you food."  
  
Lauren saw that Legolas frowned as the door was shut on her. "She's just a girl. You need not be so angry. She's done nothing," she heard from the other side of the door.  
  
"She appeared here by Magic! Nothing in this wood besides the elves seems to be good... so why should she be good?"  
  
"Does she look bad?" Legolas argued.  
  
"Looks may deceive my friend," Morlith said, patting Legolas on the shoulder and walking away. Legolas waited till he disappeared around a corner before he opened the door...or attempted to open the door. It was locked.  
  
He almost was sure he heard a sob coming from the other side." Girl, can you open the door?" Legolas asked softly.  
  
She opened the door, her cheeks covered in tears. "What?" she answered.  
  
"Will you let me in so we can talk?" Legolas asked.  
  
She nodded and let him in. The both sat on opposite sides of the bed. "Why do you cry?"  
  
"I don't know... I never cry. But this is worse than anything. I'm away from home and I don't see any way of getting back, PLUS no one is being very nice to me already..."  
  
"Morlith is just scared of you. He's afraid you might unleash some sort of satanic power or something. Ignore him. He'll see you're not."  
  
Lauren's eyes flashed. "What if I do hold some power of my own?" Lauren asked, grinning. "I'm really a clever dark witch!" They both laughed at her lameness.  
  
"So..." she continued in her normal voice. "This is Mirkwood in Lord of the rings trilogy?"  
  
"Uh...Mirkwood in what? This is Mirkwood in Middle Earth, not Mirkwood in 'Lord of the rings trilogy,' whatever THAT is," he said.  
  
Lauren laughed. "Never mind."  
  
Legolas looked at Lauren and smiled. "Why don't we get out of here? You must not like to be told to sit here like you're a prisoner! Let's leave this place. Maybe we can make you look like an elf. You have almost the same color hair as me!"  
  
"Me and elf?" Lauren shook her head. "I don't think I look Elven...but I could use something else other than my dirty jeans and band-shirt."  
  
"Band shirt? We never call them band-shirts! We call them shirts and blouses," he said with a grin.  
  
Lauren shook her head. "Maybe sometime I'll tell you lots about my world."  
  
"Sure, it all can wait though. I'll call some hairdressers n' such to come in here and make you look Elven. Later tonight after you have dinner, we can get out of this place!" Legolas said, about to slip from the door. "Uhh...what's your name, love?"  
  
"Lauren," she answered.  
  
"Lauren," Legolas mimicked and ran away.  
  
Lauren sighed and fell on her bed. How strange...to be in a complete different world running around with some guy MUCH older than her in the evening. "He's cool," Lauren said to herself, "but I just want to go home."  
  
  
  
A beautiful blond girl with hair almost as long as Lauren's came in the room. Her green eyes glittered until she looked upon Lauren. "Child, you are filthy!" she exclaimed. "No one said I was doing the job of the impossible!"  
  
'Child?' Lauren wondered. 'She's only about one year older than me!' "One elf-man in the forest didn't treat me so kindly. I kinda got pushed around a bit," Lauren said.  
  
The elf nodded sympathetically. "Get in this tub over here and when your done we will fix you up. You will be attending Prince Legolas tonight for a walk in our halls!"  
  
Lauren took a towel gratefully and went to the tub in the small room next door. She was just reminded how much Legolas was out of her range. He was a prince!  
  
  
  
When Lauren got out of the tub, a few Elven girls came in. "I'm naked, you can't come in here!" she said, trying to scream it, but barely able to find her own voice. They rolled their eyes and dressed her in weird layers of frilly things, one after another.  
  
"You shall not be so cold now, child," said one.  
  
Lauren rolled her eyes in return. What was up with calling her child anyways? She was fifteen, but she looked like she could be twenty! Why did they have to call her child?  
  
They pulled and tugged her hair with strange devises that she had never seen before. Then they patted her face with powders and put makeup on her eyes. And at everything, Lauren wrinkled her nose in disgust. "This is not..." she tried to protest, but one girl hushed her.  
  
"Child, be grateful. This makeup is for the royal and most wealthy girls, but Legolas ordered that you should wear it."  
  
Lauren clamped her mouth shut in response.  
  
Not long after, she was given a mirror. It wasn't the kind of mirror she was used to. It was a piece of glossed metal that seemed to be hit over and over again into a flat shape. She could see herself in it, so she assumed it was a mirror, which it was. "I...I..." she stammered, not able to find the right words. "Thank you, this is much better," she said with a smile. "I just need the pointy ears and I'm a real elf!"  
  
"Well, we'll leave, my lady." Before she could thank them, they seemed to be gone. And on her bed was a plate with something wrapped up in a green box. She unwrapped the box and put one of the yellow soft squares in her mouth and she giggled with delight.  
  
"Rimus," she said reading a piece of paper on the package. "Like chocolate bread!" she said to herself. She threw herself onto the bed, the box of Rimus in her hands as she ate some.  
  
"Wow," she said to herself. "This is the most awesome place."  
  
  
  
An hour later or so, Legolas came in. "I wanted to show you the halls of my father, King Thranduil!"  
  
Lauren jumped off the bed, almost tripping over the green, silver, and white dress. He laughed a little bit and held out his hand for her to grab. She looked and hesitated, but finally took it. "Show me you underground castle, great Prince Legolas!" Lauren said, trying not to laugh.  
  
"I will, Lady Lauren!" he said with a wink.  
  
They left her room and strangely the whole floor was empty, unlike how it had been a few hours ago.  
  
"I want to show you some paintings, but first of all I will show you the greatest...my favorite picture framed on our walls," Legolas started to pick up the pace and Lauren fell in step with him. The halls seemed to go on forever and ever under the forest. "Here it is!" Legolas said finally, stopping at a picture larger than she had seen yet.  
  
It was a painting of a girl in a green gown, not so poofy and frilly as the dress Lauren was now wearing. The girl was in the forest, circled in trees and she was sitting and leaning against one. She could see a waterfall in the background too. Everything about the painting was so detailed. It almost looked like a real PHOTO!  
  
"That...that's me!" Lauren said, going closer to the picture. "I can't believe it...what? How did they paint a picture like that?"  
  
"I don't know," Legolas shook his head. "But when I saw you I couldn't help but remember this picture. This is Brilaglarwen who is said to save Mirkwood one day, from all of it's evil! My father dreamed of her years and years ago and painted a picture of her. He swears this is what she looks like...Brilaglarwen, cheerful half-elf and she will help rid us of Mirkwood's Orcs."  
  
Lauren laughed. "Then it mustn't be me," she said. "I am not a hero and I'm not a half-elf. I'm a simple teenager from a town in South Carolina."  
  
Legolas shrugged and looked back at the picture. "Strange fate that we she come across you, so alike in stature as this girl."  
  
Lauren too looked back at the picture. She couldn't deny that the woman in the picture looked identical to her. "Very strange," she agreed. 


	3. Interpreted Names

By the way, this happens about one hundred years before Frodo and the ring, so, yea. Thought I'd mention that! I'm sorry how late this chapter is! I had to go out of town, didn't have time to write, and all this crap. Okay, here we go...  
  
Interpreted Names  
  
"So you say Brilagarwa...or whatever her name is, will some day save Mirkwood or something? Save it from what?" Lauren asked, turning away from the strange painting.  
  
"Well, we were never sure if she would really come, but Mirkwood was named well, for it is 'murky' and evil. There are beasts in the forest untamable," Legolas answered, looking down at his feet.  
  
"What sort of animals?" Lauren pressed.  
  
"Wargs are treacherous. They can only be evil and wild in these woods and even worse, they have befriended goblins, which makes them very dangerous. Then we have griffins, sly, but also mysterious. We do not know much of their ways or how they think. We have others, of course, but too many to name, most of them secretive and kept to themselves. Nonetheless they are evil and the forest grows darker. If only we could be sure we are safe for a long time."  
  
Lauren nodded. "Well, I hope your Brilagalarer comes and saves you guys. I just want to find my way home."  
  
"Brilaglarwen," Legolas corrected. "And don't be so sure you're not her."  
  
She jumped with surprise at his words. "What, you can't be serious!" Lauren objected.  
  
"You could be her!" Legolas answered. "Why not?"  
  
"Because...I could never save anyone!" she answered. "Haven't I already made it clear? Can I just go to my room now? Help me find my way there, please."  
  
Legolas sighed. "Very well."  
  
  
  
"Thank you, Legolas," Lauren said as she reached her door. "It was great having someone to talk to. I don't like this place much, I would like to go home." She looked hard into Legolas's crystal blue eyes. "You've at least made this easier..."  
  
He took her hand and kissed it. "I am sorry you must be here, then, Lady Lauren. But maybe you'll like it. I hope it might grow on you. I will see you tomorrow and you shall meet the king...my father."  
  
Then he turned, his light glossy hair dancing on his shoulders as he left. "Good-bye," she muttered and went into her room.  
  
  
  
There was a knock on her door. Then another. And another. And another. Finally, Lauren sat up in her bed. "What do you want, Noah?!" she cried still feeling half asleep. Then her eyes sort of popped wide open as she noticed this was NOT her room in South Carolina and someone came in that was NOT her little brother, but an young Elven girl.  
  
"Your attendance is requested of the king," she said.  
  
"I'm what?"  
  
"The king wishes to speak with you, my lady," she repeated.  
  
"Oh," Lauren said, crawling out of bed in some of the underclothes she had been put in under her poofy dress she had worn yesterday. The maid giggled. "That's not your sleepwear, my lady. Those are underwear!"  
  
Lauren rolled her eyes. "Yes, whatever. Now can you tell me what to wear so I wont go out there looking like a clown?"  
  
The maid looked confused, but nodded in agreement. "You will look beautiful, my child. You have the beauty of a gold princess," she said, combing Lauren's hair with her hand. "Now, we'll get you ready to see the King Thranduil."  
  
  
  
"Father, she looks identical," Legolas said for probably the third time. "I find it almost scary how much she looks like the painting."  
  
King Thranduil shook his head. "And you know what the priests said when they interpreted my dream..."  
  
"...that we would wed," Legolas said. "But something about her is dark, sad, mysterious... she sulks and her thoughts consist of her people. I'm confused. Could she be Brilaglarwen?"  
  
"We will interpret her name into the very old Quenya and if her name proves to be the same...we will be sure it is her."  
  
  
  
The young blond girl entered the King's chamber in a dark green robe. "Your majesty?" she said, trying to think of how she should act in front of a king.  
  
King Thranduil circled her. She noticed he was beautiful and looked very young, but the sparkle in his eyes that seemed to be so much knowledge in an old mind, made her guess he was very old. His hair was blond like Legolas's, but more of a silvery-white instead of golden and his face was brightly colored and his cheeks were warm pink.  
  
"I cannot deny that your face is so much like the Angel of the Green-elves, Brilaglar, young maiden of Mirkwood."  
  
Lauren blinked blankly and didn't answer. What was she supposed to say to this person who thought she was some hero? She didn't want to disappoint these people, but how could she play along?  
  
"What is your full given name, child?"  
  
"Lauren Nicole Charles," she answered.  
  
The King turned to a servant. "Bring me some sort of ancient Quenya tuule [name] dictionary, Thiwen!" he said, then turn back to Lauren. "Would you like to hear the story, Lauren? Would you care to hear of Brilaglarwen?"  
  
She nodded with curiosity. Who was this 'Brilaglarwen' anyways?  
  
The king smiled approvingly. "All right then, we shall begin...  
  
"There was once a time when these forests were pure and bright, without any sense of evil. A dark Lord, Sauron, made this place a very evil forest. That part of the story isn't very important, so I will tell you very little of it, but Sauron left our Mirkwood for a bigger place. Mordor is where he breeds his creatures and spreads his evilness. Still, we wondered if Mirkwood would ever be the same. The hand of Sauron had darkened our once beautiful wood.  
  
The forest has off and on gotten better and worse, but there have been no dramatic changes. Sometimes orcs cause problems and I wished I could just finish the trouble for good. I had a dream of one girl standing in a forest. She pulled out some sort of checkered-board and up came some sort of orc-chieftain. Well, they sat on opposite sides of this large checkered board. On one side, her pieces were elves and griffins, but the orc- chieftain had orcs and a few troll pieces. And they fought some sort of strange battle-game and the girl had stolen every piece of orc's. He ran away, cursing in his evil tongue at the girl.  
  
I awoke and had many priests try to interpret my dream. They all came with the same answer: a woman would save Mirkwood. More pacifically, like an angel of the elves, to protect us."  
  
Lauren stood up from a chair she had sat in during the story and shook her head. "It's a nice story, your majesty, but it cannot be me. I could never same a kingdom of ELVES..."  
  
"I never said you had to," Thranduil answered. "You may leave if you wish. You have my permission so walk free in my palace. You may enter all doors in the gold hall, but the silver hall's rooms are private rooms that belong to my subjects."  
  
"Good-bye," Lauren said.  
  
"Namarie," the king answered. Then the servant came in and handed King Thranduil a book. "This has interpretations of all sorts, your majesty."  
  
"Good, thank you."  
  
The king flipped through millions of names till he found the one that interested him. "Brilaglar [wen], ancient name meaning cheerful half-elven. Interpreted in other languages: Brithalin, Rlolahmnin Reh Thorsewea, Laurene Nicolea Charls."  
  
"Lauren Nicole Charles!" said the kind in surprise. "Also said Laurene Nicolea Charls in the elder English. She is her, then!"  
  
  
Okay, the adventure should come soon :) So bear with me please!!!!! 


	4. On the Scarcely Visible Roads

The ones that want to give me flames, you can keep it up. I find is funny. You read my fic even if you hate Mary/sue. Then you flame. Hello, read the summary. Kinda Mary Sue! If you don't like it, you don't have to waste your time, but of course you can cause it amuses the fuck out of me. Now, I'll carry on! Glad some of you like this story.  
  
On the Scarcely Visible Roads  
  
Morlith heard a growl of some sort as he walked through the woods. He looked back to see something in the distance, racing towards him. It looked like a large bear, but he didn't wait long to catch a good look. He started running as fast as he could so that the world seemed to blur around him. Where could he go and what exactly was gaining speed on him?  
  
He made it to the stairs and ran down them as quickly as he could. His mind was racing.  
  
"Uhh..." he stammered, forgetting the passwords to open the door!! He glanced back, the WARG racing down the stairs. He banged on the door with his fists. "LASTO, LASTO, LASTO!!!" [Open, open, open!]  
  
Then he remembered as the beast followed quickly behind him. "Lasto ando, Laiquendi!" [Open gate, green-elves!]  
  
The gates opened quickly and he scurried inside, but something happened he did not intend. The beast jumped through the doors right behind him and the doors closed.  
  
  
  
Lauren was skipping through the halls when she heard someone banging on the thick door. "Lasto, lasto, lasto!!" she heard a cry.  
  
An elf scurried past. "Sankossi [hateful hordes] patrol the forest!"  
  
"Excuse me!" Lauren hurried behind the elf stranger. "What is going on?"  
  
"Open the gates for Morlith! Quickly! Let not the beast get in!" cried the elf to another.  
  
Lauren watched as the door quickly opened and Morlith flew in, falling on his chest. Then came the beast, who flung his large paws onto Morlith's back. The beast growled, opened his mouth and lowered his head towards Morlith's skull.  
  
Lauren turned and grabbed a knife off the wall. It was a large elven dagger. She threw it towards the beast and it pierced its shoulder. He jumped off of Morlith, howling, but not for long.  
  
Lauren stepped back as the fierce animal came towards her. His eyes were a sickening yellow and soaking his course, thick fur was his black blood where the knife rested in his skin.  
  
She felt tears trickling down her face as the animal howled and started tearing after her. Lauren turned and ran as fast as she could. She knew it wouldn't be long till the beast caught up with her. She skimmed the walls with her hand, ready to grab a sword as soon as she found one on the wall.  
  
But she couldn't see a sword anywhere. She looked back at the wolf-creature as it ran, tearing the floors and walls at the same time. And as she looked back, she tripped and fell on her back so the creature came forward, snarling and ready to tear open her flesh. But something flew into the air and pierced the creature through his head and he came tumbling down onto Lauren. His weight fell on her and she felt crushed and blind in the complete darkness. And she saw no more.  
  
  
  
"Koiva, nessa vende," Legolas whispered into Lauren's ear. [awake, young maiden]  
  
And Lauren did open her eyes and she smiled to see such a friendly face. "Legolas..." she paused and sat up quickly, but the fiery pain in her chest brought her back down to her pillow. "Where am I?" she whispered, holding her stomach and breathing deep. "What happened?"  
  
"The creature was slain," Legolas answered. "And you are in our underground Healing house of the elves, vanya anta." [Fair face]  
  
"Vanya what? What did that mean?" Lauren asked.  
  
Legolas hushed her. "Go back to sleep. I'm glad you are not badly wounded. I will trouble you no more."  
  
Lauren wanted to object to that. "You're not any trouble to me, Legolas..." but she noticed he had already disappeared and the door swung where he had left. "Why do they have to be so fast?" she muttered.  
  
  
  
The next day, the burning in Lauren's body ceased and she again walked through the golden hall and peeked through doors without a care, like a curious child. There were rooms with food, rooms with animals including dogs and cats, and even rooms with lots of books.  
  
She searched tons of books, but found none written in English. "Adan Lambe," she read one title. The book was a thick green book and inside was an English to Elvish dictionary it seemed. Then as she flipped through, she found that half of it was Elvish to English!  
  
"Wonder if I could impress the king by speaking some in his language," Lauren told herself.  
  
Then the door to the library opened. "Child, the king must have a word with you."  
  
  
  
"Let me get this straight," Lauren answered, looking at the king. "You want me to wander into the woods and find griffins, these huge bird-cat monsters, and convince them to join us and help save us from these wolf animals?"  
  
"That is not how I would have put it into words, but yes, that is correct."  
  
"Your insane," Lauren said. "You guys brought me to this palace of yours! Cant I just stick around in this castle and kinda mind my own business?"  
  
"You must go. Those Wargs now know where we hide. They have followed the tracks of their friend and we will be attacked. We just need someone to convince the griffins. They have a weakness for beauty, but also want nothing to do with the troubles of elves. They are long allies of men. In the days of old, they flew girls in their caves and loved them. You must go. You are our only chance."  
  
Lauren couldn't help but get slightly excited by this. She loved the Lord of the Rings books and maybe this would be her own short adventure!  
  
"All right, I will go," she said. "But may I have someone to go with me?"  
  
The king laughed. "Of course! I would not have you go alone. I would ask Morlith, but he is greatly wounded. So I will choose for you Demrem, your guide, and Prince Legolas as your protector.  
  
  
  
Lauren pulled herself onto her horse, while Legolas and Demrem gracefully jumped on. There were many elves to cheer them as they left down the road only scarcely visible through the bushes and rocks. As they went farther, the crowds disappeared and they were left alone.  
  
"Is this forest dangerous?" Lauren asked.  
  
Demrem nodded a reply and looked back at his map. "Griffin territory is a two day's journey. I only hope nothing happens to our palace when we are away."  
  
"As I," Legolas answered shortly.  
  
Lauren couldn't help but wonder what would happen. How did she get caught up in this anyhow? She remembered falling asleep in her car last...now she was on some crazy Middle Earth adventure, looking for beasts that would help Legolas's tribe, or whatever the true name for them was.  
  
Somehow Lauren felt like a warrior princess and she smiled at the thought. She would help the elves if she could and if they wanted to claim she was Brilaglar, the angel woman that saved the elves, she would let them!  
  
  
  
Damn, this is not going how I wanted it to. Lauren doesn't seem like a very deep character. Grrr, seems like my stories with an actually plot have shallow characters. Then my plotless stories have deep characters. Oh well...till next time!!! 


	5. Cave of the Black Griffin

*****Important*****  
  
Okay, my parents have me grounded for another 2 weeks and instead of JUST putting a little warning note up here like last time, I put a chapter too. Ahhh, I'm so sorry. My parents ground me two weeks if I forget to set my alarm clock and I'm home schooled and all of the sudden I HAVE to set it. :( I'll try to make sure it doesn't happen again. Okay, here's the chapter...  
  
Cave of the Black Griffin  
  
By the campfire that night, Lauren just laid down and listened to Demrem and Legolas talking. They talked for an hour, in both English and in Elvish, about travel plans and the feasts of the Elves in King Thranduil's great halls.  
  
Legolas turned to Lauren who was laying on her side and staring at the fire. "Why do you speak so little, Lauren?" he asked.  
  
"Because...I feel alone. I'm in a total strange place that brings no comfort to me with none of my family or friends...what am I supposed to say?"  
  
Legolas was motionless for a while, and then he finally said, "We can be your friends, Laurena Nicolea."  
  
Despite of her depressed feelings, she smiled. "Thank you, Legolas."  
  
"Now, let's get some sleep," Demrem said. He curled up and almost immediately fell asleep, but Lauren just stared at the canopy of trees above and thought of her friends and what would happen when she found the griffins. She had read a story with griffins in it before, and she actually liked it. But this was in a Tolkein story. If Tolkein had griffins in his story, did he think of them as furious and untamed?  
  
"Tell me," Legolas whispered, "something about your world."  
  
Lauren turned on her stomach to see Legolas in the same position, in front of her. His fierce blue eyes seemed to by shining just like an cat's does when it's dark. "Your eyes are pretty, Legolas," Lauren said.  
  
"Don't change the subject. I wanna know about your world," he said.  
  
"Well," Lauren began. "There isn't very many empty, untouched forests such as these that grow wild...we have lots of houses and buildings everywhere. We get around by...um, what are they called?" Lauren paused and took a moment to think. "Horseless-Carriages, I think they used to be called."  
  
Legolas's eyes widened. "Carriages without horses?"  
  
Lauren nodded.  
  
"And they move?!" Legolas asked.  
  
"Yes," Lauren said. "I love 'Earth'. That is what my world is called. I have two sisters, a brother, all of them younger than me, I did have friends in South Carolina, but I was moving to California, so I have really no friends when I get back. It's gonna be hard living in a new place, but I'd love to start over again...I must be boring you, Legolas."  
  
Legolas shook his head, "No, not at all! I am fascinated with your world."  
  
"Maar [good]," Lauren said, turning onto her back. "daw...fuume?" [Night...sleep?]  
  
Legolas was surprised at her Elvish, even though she wasn't very good at it. "Where have you learned that, lady?"  
  
"This," Lauren said, pulling out her green leather book. "All things are at my disposal unless they are white and silver, which leaves all green and gold things for me...or so the king has said. Why is that?"  
  
"Because most silver things belong to the king and his people. The other things aren't AS important to our people," Legolas said.  
  
"Oh, okay," Lauren said. "Let's just get some sleep now." Lauren curled up and didn't find it hard to get comfortable. The Elven pants she wore were a green silk and her shirt was a light Elven linen blouse. She was very comfortable in her clean clothes and felt safe with Legolas beside her, his arrows and bow at his side if they were needed.  
  
"Goodnight, Legolas," Lauren whispered. She didn't hear his reply, because she was asleep before she could hear it.  
  
  
  
Lauren looked face to face to the winged creature. He had a thick yellow beak that stood out in his black fur. His ears were pointed and his black body was shaped like an enormous cat. His wings were stretched out above him and his fierce yellow eyes glared at her. How was she supposed to talk this creature?  
  
It screeched, or whatever you could call the piercing scream that came from him. Before she could say a word, the creature lunged forward, his claws out to tear her apart.  
  
"I don't wanna die!" Lauren screamed, sitting up from her bed around the dim fire. She put her fist on her chest and breathed long breaths.  
  
Legolas was at her side immediately. "Are you okay? That happened?"  
  
Lauren looked up at Legolas with eyes full of tears. "Nothing...just a bad dream."  
  
Legolas sighed. "Try to get some sleep. If you slept next to me would you be frightened?"  
  
Lauren found that whole idea kinda weird...sleeping beside Legolas, but didn't say anything. So he pulled his blanket next to hers and they slept a foot away from each other, Lauren next to the fire and Legolas on the other side.  
  
"We can sleep for two more hours. Now try to sleep," he said.  
  
Lauren stared at the fire; thinking for what seemed ten hours. How could she handle this? How was she supposed to talk to these big creatures? She was creeped out by cats alone, and she never much liked birds, cause her old bird used to bite her, so how could she confront a whole bunch of giant bird-cats?!  
  
Though she was frightened, she managed to fall asleep.  
  
  
  
Lauren groaned, trying to wake up. She hadn't opened her eyes yet, but she just knew she was halfway awake.  
  
"Uhhh..."she heard Legolas groan very close to her. She opened her eyes and jumped, finding her arm around Legolas and his arm around her.  
  
Legolas woke up and they both looked at each other, faces just inches apart, and darted away from each other. Demrem just looked on and laughed. "I don't even want to know what happened between you two last night," he said with a laugh.  
  
Lauren wrinkled her nose. "I promise you, that cuddling session was unintentional!"  
  
"Yes, indeed," Demrem said sarcastically. "Whatever the case, lets get ready to go."  
  
  
  
Lauren pulled herself on her large black horse. "I love black horses," she stated. "You can't see them well in the dark and they are beautiful." She stroked the horse's neck. "What is this horse called?"  
  
"Rokko," Legolas said.  
  
"Does that name mean anything?" Lauren asked as the horses started in a trot on the narrow road.  
  
"It means 'horse'," Legolas said.  
  
Lauren scowled. "That is no name for such a pretty horse!" she said, pulling out her Elvish dictionary. "Can I name him?"  
  
"Sure, it is your horse," Legolas said.  
  
Lauren grinned widely at that. "You mean he's mine?! I have a horse for as long as I am here?"  
  
Legolas laughed. "I find that I have much to learn about you, Lauren. I already find that little things please you. He is your horse to name and to ride as long as you are here. He belongs to no one else."  
  
"It's not a little thing! I've never thought I could have a horse! I'll call him Morthalion, dark and strong."  
  
"Good choice," Legolas said. "Now, if we hurry, we can make it to the Mountains of Mirkwood this afternoon. Ride on!"  
  
The horses started to move quicker until they were galloping down the narrow path. "How far is the mountains from griffin territory?!" Lauren yelled over the pounding of the hooves.  
  
"The place is the same. We will make it to the griffins before nightfall!" he yelled back. Lauren gulped. She had thought she had one more day until she had to meet them!  
  
  
  
"PUTTA!" [STOP!] Legolas said and held his hand up. The horses slowed to a stop and Legolas turned on his horse to face Lauren. His face was stern. "We are here."  
  
"What must I do?" Lauren asked.  
  
Demrem pointed ahead to the mountains. "You must crawl up there, as much as you can until the griffins find you and take you up into their caves. They then will ask why you have come and you must explain as best as you can. Tell them we will reward them with treasures if they help. You can do it. You were destined to do it."  
  
Lauren's mouth fell open and she was silent. "You must be crazy! I didn't know THAT was the plan! They are gonna pull me up by their talons and bring me to their caves? I heard this in a book once and their caves are filled with bones of..."  
  
"Lauren! You must go," Legolas said. "Though I am afraid for you. The griffins were never very kind to my people, but maybe they will be merciful..."  
  
"Maybe?" Lauren squeaked.  
  
"I am uncertain. I don't want you to go. You are a young girl and I find this task beyond your reach..."  
  
"Young?! Are you saying I'm just a child?" Lauren snapped.  
  
Legolas frowned. "To us, you are but a child! I think it is unfair for you to have to go!"  
  
Lauren glared at him. "And I thought Prince Legolas was better than this!" she snorted. "Well, I was wrong. He's just another elf! Nothing special!"  
  
"Quiet!" Demrem snapped. "Lauren is not a child. She is Brilaglar, no matter her age, and I believe she will save us. She may surprise you, Legolas."  
  
Lauren smiled. It was the first time she actually LIKED being called Brilaglar. Maybe Demrem was right. Maybe she could change things around for the elves, whether Legolas thought differently.  
  
"I will go," Lauren said bravely. "I am not scared."  
  
Legolas huffed and Lauren glared one more time at him. What was wrong with him, anyways? Why did he have absolutely NO faith in her? The whole time was he just being nice to her like a man is nice to a little helpless kid?  
  
Lauren took off towards the mountains. "Whatever you do, stay on the road!" Legolas said. Lauren just rolled her eyes and ran along the road until she came to a clearing. The mountains weren't very steep, but they went very far up and way up there she could see holes, most likely large caves in the distance.  
  
She crawled and climbed up the rocks, cutting her knees a few times as she went along. When she looked below, all she saw was rocks and trees as far as she could see, with no elves to be found. Then she heard a "caw!" that directed her attention to above. Up in the blue sky, a great bird-like animal flew lower and lower, till it was practically soaring down, aiming right for her. She saw that is was very similar to the one in her dream, his big bright eyes fierce and terrifying.  
  
It landed clumsily onto the side of the mountain; it's claws chipping the rocks. "Human child!" it exclaimed with a sort of gruff, throaty voice. She looked into the creature's eyes and found that its eyes were soft and warm. "Come, child! Ride on my back and we shall ride to my home!"  
  
Without a word, she climbed sideways on the mountain and onto the great griffin's back, between his wings and he flew up into the air.  
  
  
  
"You come to bring me company after all these long years, Annaway?" asked the griffin as he flew into his cave. His claws screeched on the floor as he went to a stop.  
  
"Who is Annaway?" Lauren asked, hopping from his back and standing in the dim cave.  
  
The griffin stared at her with glowing yellow eyes. "Well, you are, aren't you?"  
  
"No," she answered. "My name is Lauren."  
  
The griffin shook my head. "Oh, yes, it would make sense," he said sadly. "For it as been more than three hundred years since I've seen my beloved Annaway."  
  
Lauren drug her feet through the cluttered cave. "I can't see," she said.  
  
"Oh," replied the griffin. "Yes, you humans were such sun-needing people. Let me give you some light." The griffin lit a lamp and Lauren took a moment to observe the cave. It was filled with books, odd trinkets, and a few dry bones. "You don't clean much, do you?"  
  
"Never saw much need for cleaning after Annaway left," he replied with a sigh.  
  
"Who is Annaway?" Lauren asked, looking at the griffin. "And more importantly, who are you?"  
  
The griffin gave a gruff sound, which she guessed was a chuckle. "I am Thorwen. There is not much to say about me besides I've lived her for thousands of years alone. That is where Annaway comes in, you see. Outside these dratted forests of elves and beasts, there are human villages. There were girls and sometimes boys that would wander into the forest and back then the griffins loved the forest. We would sometimes find lost children and bring them into our caves. We would then take them back to their homes and sometimes we would go back and bring the children back in these caves. We felt as if the humans were our children...I never had children, you see. But one day I was searching for gold and silver trinkets as the griffins used to do. We have a weakness for treasure and it is no secret. So I found Annaway and she brought love and happiness to me. She came into my caves a whole day each week for many years and I could never forget her. But then she came only once a month, then once a few months, then never at all. She grew up and had children and I know not where they moved. I always held a picture in my mind of when she crawled up here, blond hair flowing, pretty little girl. I know it's hopeless. She is old, probably dead, and climbs not, but I guess I can dream..."  
  
Lauren nodded. "That is so sad. I am sorry."  
  
"You need not be sorry, child, for that is how life is. Not always filled with happiness...I have learned to live with it. Would you stay in my cave once a week as Annaway did? It would bring me much happiness for a long time."  
  
Lauren frowned. "I am sorry, but that is impossible. I came here for a reason and unfortunately it's not to carelessly chat...I need help."  
  
The griffin waited for her to carry on and he just watched her silently.  
  
"The elves need help," Lauren began.  
  
"Gah!" shouted the griffin. "Greedy and selfish peoples are the elves. Gah!"  
  
"They have asked me to come up here an seek your friendship. The elves are not bad. They are good, wonderful people. They need help against the Wargs," Lauren said.  
  
"They keep their treasures to themselves and then ask for help? GAH! I think not," he said, but then got this flash in his eyes. "What are my other choices? I could just keep you up here for company forever if I wished to."  
  
Lauren shook her head. "You can't do that!" she objected, running towards the edge of the cave. "I could climb down." She looked out of the cave and saw it was an impossible way down unless she wanted to just fall thousands of feet down.  
  
"You would climb down that?"  
  
Lauren turned to the griffin. "Thorwen, the elves will offer you great treasures as a reward if you help! Please help. For now, with them is my only home."  
  
Thorwen's eyes glittered with interest. "Treasure, you say?"  
  
  
  
*sigh* I think it is finally getting better! Tell me what you think. REVIEW. 


	6. The Song of the Forest’s Grave

I'm back!!!  
  
The Song of the Forest's Grave  
  
"Come, I will take you to my Master, little daughter of the Adan!" said Thorwen. Lauren crawled onto his back and he flew from the cave. Lauren looked down at the forest and saw that it was stretched out as far as she could see. She wondered what Legolas and Demrem were doing and what they would do if she were gone too long. Would they leave her?  
  
Thorwen flew into a cave in another mountain, but this one was light up with torches against the walls and was plain gray. Lauren hopped off and followed him into the cave. "This, my friend, is the Great Griffin Palace in the mountains! Now follow me, we have a good mile to walk before we get to the Master, Lord of Griffins."  
  
"What is his name?"  
  
"Orodmir, meaning mountain jewel."  
  
And Thorwen was right. They walked one long, slow mile into the mountain until they came upon great double doors of wood, the first doors yet. Thorwen pushed the large doors aside and Lauren scampered in behind him. She gasped at the figure in a great throne covered in golden necklaces and fine jewels.  
  
  
  
"What is taking her so long?" Legolas sighed. "I fear they have eaten her!"  
  
Demrem snorted. "Don't be negative, Prince Legolas. Before you know it, she'll be back with a horde of Griffins at our command. She is Brilaglar, angel of the..."  
  
"Does she seem like an angel to you?" Legolas snapped. "She may look like it, but all she does is sit and think of her home, refusing to enjoy Mirkwood for it's beauty."  
  
"Sorry to say so, Prince, but Mirkwood isn't very beautiful or kind. I'm sure it's nothing like her home. Is it wrong to like a place such as Mirkwood?"  
  
"Whether it is or not, if she hates it, I shall not enjoy her. Nor do I wish to marry her," Legolas crossed his arms and laid back against a tree. "You know well what the prophecy says and do not deny it!"  
  
"If you do not know, many of the younger elf men have a liking for her. She is fair and very different from any person I have ever seen."  
  
"That she is indeed," Legolas retorted. "My king is old and weary without a queen. My house shall be overtaken by wargs and orcs and everyone wants to take orders from a girl only fifteen! Plus, to make things worse, I'm supposed to get married to this CHILD."  
  
Demrem shook his head. "Don't be such a stiff-neck, Legolas," and he said no more.  
  
  
  
Lauren stared, gaping at the figure. "Orodmir is an elf!" she exclaimed. She had expected a griffin to be the 'Lord of the Griffins'. She least expected an ELF to be leading the griffins. Didn't they hate elves?  
  
His hair fell down his shoulders like silver silk and his twinkling eyes were a soft green. His face was young and ageless with a bright, careless smile. He looked like some wise ancient Elf-Lord!  
  
He laughed so carelessly and free. "That I am. Would you sit by my feet, lady?"  
  
Lauren took that as an order and sat on the steps that went up to his throne. "Would you tell me the tale of this strange occurrence? Why might you be here?"  
  
Lauren spent a long time telling the elf lord every detail that she knew about the war and the king listened attentively while rubbing his chin. "And that is all I know," she said finally.  
  
Orodmir shook his head. "I cannot help. Though my griffins would jump at the chance for jewels, I shall not spare them so we may have more riches. If the elves were our friends, I would want to help, but the elves are no use to us. No friends have they ever been."  
  
"May I ask...why are you and elf...but hate all the other elves?" Lauren said slowly, afraid to ask the great elf any thing.  
  
He frowned for the first time so far. "I was young and befriended the humans when I was only one hundred. I lived on the very edge of the forest in my own house in the trees. And by befriending the humans I became close to the Griffins. I was also close to my own kin, the elves, though they did not enjoy the company of the griffins.  
  
"Without my knowing about it, many of the elves began to despise the griffins. They had greats halls of gold that they had found over the many years walking the earth and the elves became jealous. So taking some of their own gold for bait, they scattered it through the woods. The griffins found that the forest was filled with new treasures so they went on a long hunt to find it all.  
  
"And while they were away in the forest for weeks, searching for every trinket, the elves stole many, many golden things from the griffins' caves. The griffins came back to their caves with sixty-five pieces of gold and silver and they had lost more than sixteen thousand trinkets. They figured the elves' trick and searched for their rightful treasures, but the elves hid it. They were deep underground where the griffins could not reach. So I found out, but it was too late. I was exiled from the elves were being on the side of the griffins...and that is the story. One thousand years has passed, at least, but still Thranduil gives not back the gold."  
  
"How horrible," Lauren said. "But couldn't you just help, get back your gold, and move on?"  
  
"Nay," said Orodmir. "It was not the treasure I mourned for, but for the loss of once great friends."  
  
She nodded, but felt helpless. "Then I shall go back to them and die with them in this war," she said, hoping that would make the king change his mind. "There is no hope now."  
  
"May your fortune be well, farewell Adan-vende," he said [Human-daughter]. "I will give you this as a token of friendship among the griffins." Lauren held her hands out towards the king and he handed her a gold necklace with a little clear-gold ball attached. "It will provide light to your dark path. Now, Thorwen, take her back to her friends."  
  
Lauren put the necklace on and it glowed just dimly. "It is beautiful, thank you."  
  
  
  
Legolas and Demrem impatiently fidgeted around their campfire. "Look!" Legolas pointed into the sky as a black beast flew from the mountain. They silently watched as the beast came closer and closer till finally it was only a hundred feet away. It perched itself on the side of the mountain and Lauren crawled down and it flew back into the sky.  
  
"What happened? What did they say?" Demrem was excited.  
  
She frowned. "They won't help," she said quickly, walking past them. She expected Legolas to have some sort of fit and that he did. "I knew it!" he said flinging his arms up. "This is not the time of Brilaglar! If it were, the griffins would help!"  
  
Demrem faced Legolas. "Don't say that! Maybe we were wrong, but still, there is no need to hurt the poor girl's feelings!"  
  
"But what are we gonna do now?" Legolas looked worried. "Now we just have one more problem in all of this mess: getting her home and out of this soon- to-be war-zone."  
  
"The problem will have to be dealt with later some other time! She'll have to wait," Demrem hissed.  
  
Lauren started to walk faster away from them. Problem? First she was cool with them, then she was a kid, and then she was JUST another problem. She wanted to go home. That was ALL she wanted. Before she knew it, she was running aimlessly into the woods, trying to get as far away from them. She drowned out their argument with muttering a song. "And I need you now somehow...and I need you now somehow..." she whispered as she ran through the forest.  
  
She then stopped when they seemed to be very far away. She bent down and leaned against a tree, starting to cry. This was so unlike her to cry all the time. Usually she went a year without crying once, but this was pure hell. She was going to have to go back to their underground palace thingy and into her little room while a war went on.  
  
"CAAAAWWWW!" Lauren fell with surprise when she heard the deafening sound. It came again, but she covered her ears and hid her face. It came again and again, each time quieter. Through the trees she saw something black squirming as if stuck somehow. She crawled on all fours towards it. The curiosity filling in her was overwhelming. She had to figure out what it was.  
  
  
  
Legolas's mouth dropped as Lauren took off into the forest. "YOU CANT GO OFF THE ROAD!" he yelled at her, but she didn't seem to hear! He watched her sped as fast as she could and he tried to get into the forest behind her, but some trees moved their places and blocked his view of her.  
  
"Oh no," Demrem said, falling on his knees and covering his face with his hands. "What will the king say? She's gone."  
  
Legolas stared at the forest and began to sing a song he learned as a child.  
  
"Men who skip beyond the road  
  
Led so far into the great abyss  
  
Will surely be buried in trees of old  
  
Lost in thick air, lost in mist  
  
And wither in the their foresty grave?  
  
None can tell, none can say!"  
  
  
  
AH! What will happen to Lauren! What is making that awful noise and if you already think you know, why is it there? Is there absolutely NO hope for the elves? Find out. Hehehe. 


	7. Power of the Amulet

Power of the Amulet  
  
Lauren gasped at the sight. There was a large tree with two large branches shooting upwards and caught in between the two branches was a pepper-gray griffin, softly and breathlessly cawing.  
  
"What happened?" Lauren asked.  
  
The great bird just looked at her for a moment.  
  
"I said what happened?"  
  
"Why does it matter to you? Whether you know or not, I will die here," it said. Lauren just stood there, unsure of what to do. "OKAY! I'll tell you," said the griffin. "I was being chased by a dragon and he started breathing fire! So I flew as fast as I could, so fast that I could hardly see where I was going...then I ran in between these two tight branches!"  
  
Lauren's mouth was wide open by then. "Wow, really?"  
  
"No!" he said, laughing. "You humans are so gullible. I always had so much fun with you humans."  
  
Lauren crossed her hands over her chest. "You can't be serious even when you're stuck in between to branches, must likely to die?"  
  
"Thanks for reminding me," he grumbled.  
  
"Well, I wonder if I can help you," Lauren said.  
  
"Help me?" he scoffed. "Maybe if I was much smaller, but there is nothing you can do. You most likely can't find your way to GET help."  
  
"Of course I can get help!" Lauren said. "I know the way back."  
  
"There is no way back, except up, child. The trees move so you are forever going in circles. They do not let you out! You must go up into the sky and unless you fly, you are stuck too. Didn't anyone tell you to stay on the road?"  
  
Lauren paused to think. Then she remembered Legolas's words before she climbed the mountain. "Well, yes, I was told to stay on the road!"  
  
"There you go. We'll both die here," he sighed.  
  
Lauren started to climb the tree. "No, I will get you out of here if I have to gnaw the tree to bits with my front teeth!" she said.  
  
"If you can get me out I will fly you to the ends of Middle Earth!" he said. "But of course, we will die here."  
  
Lauren sighed. "Don't be so negative!" She climbed up to where the griffin was and paused. "Okay, what should I do?"  
  
The griffin rolled her eyes and then looked at her. "You can do nothing..." he paused and his eyes flashed. He looked at Lauren's neck with amazement. "The gold amulet of Orodmir! Where did you get that?"  
  
"What?" Lauren looked down at her neck. "Oh this? Orodmir gave it to me as a token of friendship or something. Why?"  
  
"I've heard about that amulet! It might help us out of here! Put your thumb and forefinger on it. That's it. Then put it to your lips and blow!"  
  
Lauren was confused. What would blowing on a gold ball do to save the griffin? Well, she wanted to save him and it wouldn't hurt to try, so she blew on the ball. A stingy sensation covered her body and her fingers began to glow. She held them up and looked at them with awe.  
  
"Don't point them towards me!" the griffin yelled. "Point them at the tree!"  
  
Lauren pointed her forefinger and thumb towards the tree and a small spark flew from her forefinger and seemed to sink into the tree's trunk.  
  
There was a silence. "That was it?" She asked.  
  
The griffin sighed. "I guess it was."  
  
Then Lauren noticed a gold circle on the tree and it's own little gold roots were sprouting on the trees surface. "Look! It is eating the tree away!" Lauren gasped.  
  
The little roots seemed to cover the tree, going faster and faster. "Watch out!" yelled the old griffin. Lauren fell on the ground, hiding her face and the gold roots disappeared, leaving holes all in the tree where they had been. The tree crumbled to the ground and the griffin fell. He extended his wings out and the woodchips flew.  
  
Lauren stood. "Wow, that was amazing! Are you okay? Anything hurt?"  
  
The griffin took a few steps. "My right leg aches, but that won't affect my flying!" he said. "Now, I promised I would take you to the ends of Middle Earth if you could save me...where do you need to go child?"  
  
"I need to go to the home of Thranduil!" Lauren said.  
  
He growled and kept silent for a moment while Lauren patiently waited for him to answer. "I know not where the elves live! No one does!"  
  
"Oh," Lauren said. "Well, can you take me along the Old Forest Road? My elf friends are there, I think."  
  
"As you wish, though I don't understand why a respectable girl would want to befriend such awful things. I will take you to your elf friends."  
  
  
  
Legolas started packing up the stuff. "I hate to say there is no hope. She can't come out of the forest, I'm afraid. No use waiting any longer."  
  
"But those noises we heard! The caws and that blast...what could it have been?"  
  
"Who knows, but it could have nothing to do with Lauren," Legolas said. "Let's go."  
  
Demrem nodded. "Yes, I guess you're right."  
  
So the two elves rode along the old road, Legolas also leading Morthalion, Lauren's horse. They were silent, just frowning and looking down as they went.  
  
"She must not have been Brilaglar. Tales told she would live long and marry the prince," Demrem said.  
  
Legolas sighed. "And when Brilaglar comes, then I shall know. She will make it through many perils. Still, I wish not Lauren's life would end this way, even if she was just a lost, young girl."  
  
A shadow fell over the road and the two elves looked up. Demrem gasped. "I don't believe it! It is she!"  
  
Legolas was just as surprised. "She's alive!"  
  
An old gray griffin landed just in front of them and Lauren jumped off. "I am back," she said.  
  
"You made it out of the forest!" Legolas said. "I can not believe it."  
  
"Some have no faith in me," she said, rolling her eyes. She turned to the griffin. "Thank you. Without you, I would have never made it out."  
  
"Same for you, young lady. You are the one who saved me first. Now I shall be off to see the Griffin Lord. He will hear of your great deed and it shall go in the Griffin chronicles."  
  
"You still haven't told me your name!" she said.  
  
He laughed. "I am Valruin, and you are?"  
  
"Lauren," she answered.  
  
"Farewell, Lauren. May you find favor in all who look upon you, you fair thing, you!" he said as he flew into the sky. He seemed to be smiling in his own griffin-way.  
  
She laughed. "Farewell!"  
  
He flew out of sight and Lauren got on her horse. "Shall we be off?"  
  
Legolas nodded, still staring in awe, and they were off again. "I still can't believe you made it," he said.  
  
Lauren smiled. "I might have some tricks up my sleeves that may surprise you, Legolas. You might learn not to be so eager to judge!" she said, looking down at her gold amulet.  
  
"You any bit curious that she could be Brilaglar?" Demrem whispered to Legolas.  
  
Legolas shook his head, but still wondered... had he been wrong all this time? He looked back at her. She sure looked like Brilaglar as he had seen her in the painting. Was that just a coincidence?  
  
Demrem studied his map. "We shall be back at the palace tomorrow night."  
  
  
  
Valruin bowed his head. "Lord Orodmir, I am finally back."  
  
"What took you? I only sent you out to get some roots!"  
  
"I brought the roots, Lord," he said, dropping the green roots out of his clawed paw. "But before I found them, I flew into a moving tree! It went in my way and I got stuck."  
  
"But trees never move for the griffins! Only men, sometimes elves, and beasts," Orodmir said.  
  
"But there was a girl in the forest. The trees were moving their paths for her, I suppose. But anyways, I was stuck and a young maid found me. I saw the amulet and she set me free with the blowing method. I flew her back to her friends, Lord."  
  
"She saved you, Valruin!" the elf Lord said.  
  
"Rightly, sir," Valruin answered gruffly. "Should anything else be done?  
  
"I have changed my mind," Orodmir said, his eyes flashing. "Make ready for a great war against the goblins and their steeds!"  
  
  
  
What will happen next? Check back and find out! Please? Oh yes, and review! I could use some feedback. I live off reviews. Don't let me die. You don't want the story to just end, do you?  
  
Legolas: "Yes, PLEASE review. For me?"  
  
Author: "AND ME!" 


	8. Wishing Mirror

Wishing Mirror  
As the three riders quickly rode down their narrow path, a crowd of more than a thousand griffins flew into the sky. The sound of their many wings flapping in unity filled the sky.  
  
Lauren turned back. "What is that?"  
  
Legolas's mouth fell open a little bit as he saw the great horde coming towards them. "An army of griffins!"  
  
Demrem laughed. "I told you, Prince! The prophecy is unfolding before us!"  
  
Lauren just waited and watched the empty sky...till her mortal eyes could finally see the great beasts flying. "I can't believe it!"  
  
A few minutes passed and finally, the griffins were flying just above them. One of them landed with a thud onto the ground before them. Sitting in between the giant wings was Orodmir. His eyes were now shining brighter in the sun and his white hair was draped over his shoulders and over his fine gold jewelry. "We will fight under one condition: all requests must be asked by Lauren. We will receive no ORDERS from elves, nor requests from them. That is our proposition."  
  
"I suppose that will be no problem, but come with us, please, so we may discuss this with the King Thranduil," Legolas said. "Follow us."  
  
Orodmir laughed. "There is no need to follow you. We will take you there much faster and safer. Thorwen, Kilen, Fathern!"  
  
The three black griffins lowered from their place with the rest and landed behind Orodmir and his steed. Lauren eagerly leaped from her horse to get on Thorwen while Legolas disapprovingly looked on.  
  
"Thorwen!" Lauren practically yelled with enthusiasm.  
  
Thorwen lowered his body so she could climb on. "It is my young friend! Orodmir has appointed me as your steed for whenever you like, if you don't mind..."  
  
"Of course I wouldn't mind!" Lauren smiled. "I would choose no other."  
  
"I think I would rather ride my horse," Legolas said. "I know griffins have no love for elves."  
  
"GAH! As long as you pay handsomely, there should be no trouble!" said one griffin.  
  
"Silence!" Orodmir yelled. It was the first time I'd seen him look angry, though I guess it wasn't THAT surprising cause I hadn't seen him much at all. "As long as Lauren is friends with elves, so we shall respect them," he said and then looked back at Legolas. "If you wish to make haste, you would ride a winged-steed. Especially since, the orcs are already on their way to Thranduil's halls."  
  
Legolas paused. "What?"  
  
"You didn't know?" Orodmir was surprised. "Well, I guess you wouldn't...the orcs should make it there in two days! A few of my subjects have seen them on their way. So, shall we make haste?"  
  
"Yes, indeed!" Legolas exclaimed, gracefully hopping off of his horse. Demrem followed Legolas's lead and did the same. Before long, Legolas, Lauren, and Demrem were riding in the air and behind the whole flock of griffins were three especially large griffins, carrying the bewildered horses with their clawed paws.  
  
Lauren smiled at Legolas, but his forehead was wrinkled with anticipation for his people. "Don't worry, Legolas! Just yesterday, everything was going horrible and now things are already getting better. We have the griffins."  
  
"I hope things will be all right. I have some hope left, and only because of you... Brilaglar," Legolas said. Lauren smiled even more. She had never enjoyed anyone calling her that, so much. "And I want to say I'm sorry," Legolas said, glancing over at her. "You're not just a child."  
  
"It's all right," she answered, and they said no more.  
  
  
  
That night they arrived and Lauren was completely wiped out. She looked at Legolas with half-lidded eyes, but he seemed to be just as alert as ever. "Are we gonna go to our rooms now?"  
  
"I doubt it," he said, looking at her with fearful eyes. He seemed to have been in deep thought before she spoke. "We must speak with the king, but if you wish for me to talk to him instead of you, I can do that, but you should probably be there."  
  
"All right," Lauren yawned. "Then I guess I'll come, though I might fall asleep."  
  
  
  
After a little bit of arguing between Legolas and Orodmir, where the meeting should be, Demrem, Legolas, Orodmir finally agreed they should go inside. Lauren followed the three of them into Thranduil's chambers.  
  
"I wonder what time it is," Lauren murmured sleepily, not really expecting any answer.  
  
"It's probably four o' clock in the morning," Legolas answered.  
  
Legolas went in to awake the king and then he motioned the others to enter. Lauren saw the king seated at a table in his green nightgown, or whatever you wanted to call his robe. Demrem wished them all a good night and went to his chambers, while Legolas, Lauren, and Orodmir seated themselves.  
  
The elves talked about war matters, while Lauren just drowsily watched. Soon she was asleep and had her face flat on the table.  
  
"There is nothing else to talk about for now, but tomorrow you'll have to explain to Lauren what's going on," Thranduil announced.  
  
Legolas nodded. "I will speak with her tomorrow."  
  
"If it is all right, I will speak to the griffins and then go to my chambers?" Orodmir asked. "Am I permitted to have any?"  
  
King Thranduil smiled. "You are permitted to have any gold room as you wish, as long as it has a green leaf placed on it. The room you choose, please remove the leaf, and then when you permanently leave the room, put the leaf back. You are welcomed to do anything here, for you are our friends."  
  
Orodmir nodded. "Seems you have become more respectable, King Thranduil."  
  
Thranduil frowned. "Worry not, you will receive all you once lost," he said. "Now, Legolas, go call for a servant to take Lauren back to her chambers."  
  
Legolas shrugged. "It would be much easier if I took her myself, my Lord, if you say so."  
  
"Then take her, Legolas," the king said.  
  
  
  
Legolas carried Lauren in his arms like she weighed nothing. She opened her eyes and tried to get up. "What is going on?"  
  
"Nothing," he said. "I'm just taking you to your room. You are too tired to walk."  
  
Lauren closed her eyes. "Whatever," she mumbled, already falling back asleep.  
  
  
  
The next day Lauren woke up, unsure of what time it was. There was a candle lit in her room already and a few other signs shown that a maid had come in.  
  
"It must be past eight!" she said to herself. She looked in the armoire and found a note.  
  
"Prince Legolas states that you do not like fine royalty dresses, so we've found some more casual things for you to wear. We hope you like the change," Lauren read. She smiled. She really DID hate the frilly things that they made her wear that were impossible to walk in! "Good ole Legolas!" she said, putting the note down and looking through the new selection of clothes.  
  
She pulled out a white dress that had long, big lacy sleeves. The fabric was unbelievably soft. Lauren rubbed it against her face and smiled. 'Wow, I love this! I'll feel like Eowyn now!' she thought. 'Brilaglar, elf- friend, beautiful warrior!'  
  
  
  
"Now, Legolas, you must spend all today with Lauren. Make sure she is at ease for tomorrow and explain to her the war plans. Tell her that she will stay at the right side of me during the war and she will have our best guards protecting her. But most of all, try to make today a peaceful day for her. Tomorrow, all will be in chaos."  
  
Legolas smiled. "I won't let you down."  
  
So he hurried towards Lauren's room and knocked on her door. "Lauren, are you awake?"  
  
"Just a minute!" she exclaimed, so Legolas waited for a few minutes. She then came out in a more casual dress than what she wore the first day she was there. It was a silky white with a low top, revealing her smooth shoulders. She had done her makeup more naturally just by herself and her straight long blond hair was down, reaching almost to her waist. She was so happy that her warm blue eyes seemed to smile somehow.  
  
"You are as fair as any great elf princess, Lauren," he said slowly.  
  
Lauren shook her head. "Thank you, but I do not believe it."  
  
Legolas decided not to press the subject, though he deeply disagreed. "Anyways, come, I will show you something." He grabbed her hand and she hurried with him. They walked farther into the halls than Lauren had ever been, through gold halls and through silver. "I have something I want to give you."  
  
Legolas took her into an amazing green room. Lauren had never seen anything more beautiful. The bed was made out of a silky green fabric, but imbedded into the fabric was very small gold pieces, almost like little gold dust!  
  
"This is my chambers," he said.  
  
"It's awesome, Legolas, but is this what you had to show me?"  
  
Legolas laughed. "No, this is what I had to GIVE you," he said, opening a silver drawer and pulling out a mirror, small enough to fit in Legolas's hand. "It's magic," he claimed. "If you wish for ONE thing, it shall be given to you."  
  
"You mean I can wish for one thing, right now?"  
  
"It'd be best if you waited till you really needed something, but this mirror can be used as one wish for anyone, but only one. It is dangerous and you cannot loose it. It could get put into the wrong hands. I'll give it to you, and when the war is over, you could use your one wish and go home...if you want."  
  
"Oh Legolas!" Lauren exclaimed. "Thank you so much! Have you eve wished on it? How do you know it works?"  
  
"I haven't wished on it. I've been waiting for a time to wish, but I just feel as if you need it more, but I am sure it works. It worked for my father...he has more gold in Mirkwood than anyone else."  
  
She gasped. "THAT is how he got so much gold?"  
  
"Yes, there was no way we could find it all...it was a selfish wish, but he couldn't unwish it, though he found out how many enemies it had made him."  
  
"Wow, well I know what I'll wish...I can't wait to be home."  
  
"Just PLEASE don't wish to go home until the war is completely over. We'll see if you even want to go then."  
  
Lauren wasn't sure what he meant. She was going to want to go home as long as she was here!  
  
"Come on, let's go somewhere else. There are plenty of things we can do today...plus lot of things that must be said."  
  
  
  
Lauren: "dun, dun, dun! Wait till next chapter :) Review, bitch!! Please?"  
  
Legolas: "Yes...please?" 


	9. Wordless Speaking

Wordless Speaking  
As Legolas led Lauren through the hall, she stared at the mirror. How she wished she could just wish herself home aloud and disappear from this world. But what would she have when she got back 'home'? A new town with no one she knew except her embarrassing family, that's what. Maybe she didn't want to go RIGHT away, but anything would be better than fighting in a war and fighting in a war was what she had to do.  
  
"There is so much I could show you," Legolas said, interrupting her thought. "But I guess I should tell you some things about the war, first."  
  
"Okay, shoot," she answered.  
  
"All right," he began. "You're going to have to fight in the war beside my father. You can ride your horse, but it seems that 'Thorwen' is eager to be your steed, so if you wish to ride him, you'd be on your own. The thing is, I'm not sure how you could fight in the sky. The griffins are going to throw boulders from above, so I guess you might just have to ride on the ground."  
  
"Okay," Lauren answered.  
  
"You should be by my father so if he has something he wants the griffins to do, he will have to tell you to ask them..."  
  
"All right," she answered. "Just tell me one thing, Legolas. Are we most likely going to win?"  
  
Legolas paused in his tracks and turned to face Lauren. "With the griffins I have no doubt we'll win," he said. "The orcs aren't expecting it either."  
  
  
  
"So let's not talk about the war any longer. The war is tomorrow and not today, so lets have some fun."  
  
"Okay," Lauren agreed. "What can we do?"  
  
Legolas smiled. "There's lots of magical things behind the silver doors. We could snoop a little and explore?"  
  
"Are we allowed to?" she asked.  
  
Legolas shook his head. "No, but there's one hall that's always abandoned, except rarely when the maids clean, but it's secret, for my father only. I've been waiting for a good time to explore it and with a friend it couldn't be funner! Wanna go see it?"  
  
Lauren giggled. "Sure! Let's just hope we don't get caught."  
  
  
  
"This is the strangest hall, my father says," Legolas said. "Look at these strange pictures!"  
  
Lauren stopped to look at a picture of a mermaid on an abandoned beach. "There's nothing strange about..." Then all of the sudden the mermaid blinked. "Whoa! WEIRD!" Lauren exclaimed. "A magic picture!"  
  
"Yea, I just wonder what's in one of these doors!" Legolas said, opening a door. "This looks like just a plain library. Let's look at another room."  
  
"No, let's go in!" Lauren said, walking into the room and picking up a book. "Quendelie Kuru Parma," Lauren read. "What does that mean?"  
  
"It's a spell book of the elves," Legolas said, taking the book.  
  
"What kind of spells?"  
  
"I'm sure they aren't bad spells...but let's look," he said, skimming the pages. "There's a spell for swiftness, a spell for the sick, and there is a Telepathic speaking spell, as the Adan [humans] call it."  
  
"What's that? Some mind reading thing?"  
  
"The people that do these spells together can send silent signals to each other. Like, you can send thoughts to the other person without a sound! Very interesting."  
  
"Let's do it!" Lauren said, practically jumping with enthusiasm. "We could need it in the war! If something happens, I can send you a mind message or whatever."  
  
Legolas just listened, his face unreadable. Then he smiled. "Well, I don't see why not...it says you cant read my thoughts...only the ones I send to you, so let's do it!"  
  
"This is tight!" she said.  
  
"Tight?"  
  
"It means, uh, 'neat'. So what do you say? Should we do the spell?"  
  
"Hold my hand," Legolas answered. "Weere avaquétima...equë!"  
  
Legolas looked at her, but his mouth didn't move. "Hi."  
  
Lauren couldn't help but laugh aloud and then she thought about something and tried to say it, without her mouth. "Let's see if we let go of hands and it still works."  
  
Legolas blushed, noticing his hand was still knitted around Lauren's. He pulled his hand away and said, "Can you still hear me?"  
  
"Yes," Lauren answered out loud with a squeal. "Oh my god, Legolas, this is so cool!"  
  
When Lauren and Legolas returned to the gold hall where the elves ran around, now very busy and hard-faced. There was no music or any joyful singing like there usually was!  
  
Thranduil came walking by. "Ah, Brilaglar!" the king said. "And Legolas. I've been searching for you! I trust you both had a relaxing day?"  
  
"Yes," Lauren nodded.  
  
"What have you been occupied with for all these long hours?"  
  
Before she could even speak again Lauren heard Legolas's voice inside her head. "We can't tell anyone about the forbidden halls, the book, or how we can speak inside each other heads. Our secret!"  
  
"Uh..." she stammered. "We ate and we walked around. It's wonderful here." It seemed to be a good enough excuse for Thranduil.  
  
"Good, then I suggest you eat and get some sleep. We must prepare at four o' clock tomorrow morning! There is much to be done."  
  
  
  
"Are you asleep?"  
  
Lauren jumped up at the voice she heard and crawled out of bed. What was Legolas doing in her room at this time of night? Then she realized he wasn't in her room at all! She sighed and got into he bed, and thought a message back. "No, but I was planning on going to sleep."  
  
"Oh...I just wondered if your as scared as I am?"  
  
"I'm scared. Unlike you, Legolas, your never scared."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"It's hard to explain. I know a lot more about you than you think."  
  
"You spend too much time in the library! Those books say all this false stuff..."  
  
"No, I don't read about you in YOUR library. I know that your brave in...Oh never mind. To answer your question, I am kinda scared."  
  
"Only kinda?"  
  
"Yea, I have a trick up my sleeve that may surprise everyone...everyone except Orodmir."  
  
"Tell me!"  
  
"If we see Orcs attack us tomorrow, you'll see."  
  
"And if there are no orcs tomorrow?"  
  
"Go to sleep Legolas."  
  
"Agh, okay. Good night, Lauren."  
  
  
  
A few hours later, Lauren awoke with something pushing at her side. "Ugh, go away!"  
  
"My lady, you must wake up!" Lauren opened her eyes to see a flustered elven girl. "You have these clothes you must put on immediately."  
  
Lauren sat up and looked at them. There was soft elven green pants and tank top, softer than silky pajama material. Then there was a leather vest to put over it and after that, this bright, clean Elven armor, with designs too beautiful to explain that would go over her chest, stomach, and legs.  
  
"Don't go back to sleep, miss. The king requests an audience with you as soon as you are done with breakfast. Here is some Rimus."  
  
If there was anything that could get Lauren up it was Rimus. She greedily snatched if from the elf-girl and scarfed it. "Namarie," she said.  
  
  
  
"You and I shall ride at the very front. I'm sure you understand the danger?" Thranduil said.  
  
"Completely. I'm not afraid," Lauren answered.  
  
"You might change your mind once you see orcs," he said.  
  
"So. . ." Lauren said slowly. "Where is Legolas?"  
  
"He is spying the forest with some of his companions. He won't be fighting on horseback with us."  
  
"Oh," was all Lauren said, feeling a little disappointed. It seemed since two days ago, they had developed a bond. Hopefully that wouldn't change or anything. Legolas seemed kind of unpredictable.  
  
An elf warrior of some king rushed to the king. "Your majesty! Orcs come near! What should we do?"  
  
The king looked at Lauren and his eyes held a question. "Why are you looking at me?" she asked.  
  
"You are Brilaglar. You must go out there and tell the griffins it is time!"  
  
"Got it!" Lauren answered, taking off down the hall. She was a really fast runner when she wanted to be. She ran from the door and climbed the long stairway. By the time she was in the woods, she was gasping for air. "Griffins!" she yelled.  
  
The griffins came down from the trees and waited for an order. "It is time! The orcs draw near. Strike them with the boulders and then do whatever you can!"  
  
The griffins flew away and elf warriors on horses came in great numbers. King Thranduil came on his large white horse and with him was Morthalion, Lauren's large black horse. She climbed on and without a word, the king and her rode into the forest, the army behind them. They pulled their swords out, but Lauren left hers in her sheath. She was going to surprise everyone with her own weapon.  
  
  
  
It seemed that they were riding through the forest with no end. Lauren felt herself on the edge of sleep a few times and no one would speak and they had forbidden her to speak. As if some spell was upon them, the horses made no sound at all, even when their strong hooves smote the ground. The only sound was that of birds above.  
  
Then as Lauren listened, she noticed there was another noise. A throaty roar or something similar to the ones she heard when that Warg entered the Underground Halls of Thranduil! Then a echoing war cry of a griffin.  
  
Lauren actually smiled as the battlefield came into view. Above the griffins were dodging fiery darts from the orcs and a few elves in the trees were shooting down at the orcs. Thranduil shouted out and waved his sword above. Lauren's heart was beating hard in her chest and she yelled with the rest of the elves. Lauren still didn't take her sword out. She placed her two fingers on the small gold amulet and blew on it. He fingers shined and she pointed into the crowd of orcs as some drew near. A few sparks flew and hit two orcs.  
  
They watched as the little flame disappeared on their chests and they made a chuckling noise, but then out of nowhere appeared a dot on their bodies. Then they got larger and seemed to form roots through the orcs' bodies. Everyone was too caught up in fighting to notice the orcs.  
  
All around her elves were swinging their swords and orcs were shooting. But Lauren watched as the orcs screamed and scratched at the flamed roots on their chests. After the strange things covered their bodies, they fell like ash.  
  
Lauren looked up at the trees and wondered where Legolas was. "Legolas, where are you?" she thought.  
  
"Watching you! Now stop just sitting there while I have to shoot all the orcs after you!"  
  
Then Lauren noticed that lots of the arrows falling from the trees were hitting orcs around her. She blew on the ball again and stuck her fingers out to many orcs and they died. This wasn't so hard, was it?  
  
  
  
OF COURSE the rest of the war wont be THIS easy. Just you wait. Mwa ha ha. This is so Mary Sue. Damn. :'(  
  
I sorry. I'm just so eager to get BACK to my Gondor story, I'm doing this kinda sloppy. I'll try to make it better, okay?  
  
-Brilaglar 


	10. Plans of Leaving

Plans of Leaving  
Lauren didn't have time to notice the black blood dripping from her sword and from her hands. She had never felt so pumped before. She had no idea where King Thranduil had gone and all she had in mind was impressing everyone. She didn't want to let anyone down. If they wanted to call her Brilaglar, than she was going to try to play the part.  
  
The hours seemed like days as the number of orcs was split and half, but only a few elves lost their lives. Orcs started climbing the trees like tons of spiders, but the griffins picked the elves up out of the trees. Lauren glanced up to see Legolas being taken into the air and set down on the ground with many other elves.  
  
One large orc lifted his weapon and screamed a word. It sent all of the orcs running into the forest. "They're retreating!" Lauren heard someone say.  
  
"They will come back!" yelled the king. "And so will we! Return to the palace!"  
  
Lauren just stood there, looking for her horse. She remembered falling off, but she didn't know what had happened to him after that.  
  
"Lauren, there you are!" Legolas yelled, riding up with his horse. "Come, you must ride with me."  
  
Lauren climbed on his tall horse with some trouble. Then they were off. With all the bouncing on the way back, she started to realize how many scratches and bruises she had. She had an unbearable headache that she had gotten from falling off of Morthalion and hitting her head on a dead orc's head. How gross!  
  
"Are you okay?" Legolas asked.  
  
"Why wouldn't I be?"  
  
"I don't know. I feel like I can sense pain in my head, but it's not of any injury I have," Legolas answered.  
  
Lauren sighed. "That spell book didn't say anything about you sensing my pain."  
  
"So you are hurt?"  
  
"I have a big bruise on my head, I think," Lauren shrugged.  
  
  
  
"Lord, we looked for the Orcs' camp and found it! It is empty! Even their store of food is gone! I believe they have left, for good."  
  
Thranduil was amazed. "I do not believe it! We will wait to hear from the griffins before we make any decisions."  
  
Orodmir came in. "There is no need to wait! We need not do anything, but rejoice! The orcs HAVE been spotted on their way out of Mirkwood. This wood will be a lot less evil!"  
  
Thranduil jumped up. "Then celebrate we shall!"  
  
  
  
"OW!" Lauren groaned as the "elf-doctor" put a medicine on her head.  
  
"You don't have only a bruise! The front of your scalp is a huge bruise with a gash in the middle!"  
  
"Damn, no wonder it hurts so bad!" Lauren whined.  
  
"Legolas is pretty hurt too," the elf said, shaking his head.  
  
"Really?" she asked. 'Poor Legolas!' she thought.  
  
"Yes, these deep gashes against his back and scrapes all on his knuckles," he said. "He won't tell anyone about it though. He doesn't complain about anything, I don't think! Well, you're free to leave! Get ready for the celebration tonight!"  
  
"Celebration? What are we celebrating?"  
  
He looked surprised. "You didn't know? Well, I'll tell you..."  
  
  
  
As soon as Lauren heard the news she was very happy. But at the same time sad. She wasn't sure if she wanted to leave Mirkwood at all. She had a bad feeling about all of this. This was all too soon. Wars were long and the Orcs shouldn't have left so soon, should they have? Lauren didn't understand why, but she had a feeling it wasn't over yet.  
  
That night all the elves went outside in the forest and made a fire. They danced around it, sang, and ate. They kind of reminded Lauren of Indians or something. They no longer wore Robes, but the men were in pants and the girls wore skirts and blouses. Legolas and Lauren just watched and clapped. "Do you have to leave?" Legolas finally said.  
  
Lauren smiled. He acted like he'd really miss her. "It is my home. I should go back."  
  
Legolas thought for a moment. "This place can never be your home?"  
  
"Legolas, you're an awesome friend and I'd love to stay and hang around this amazing place, but the real place for me is with my family."  
  
"Maybe they can be my family too! We have gotten too close. You can't just leave. I'm embarrassed to say so, but I don't have any friends, but you."  
  
Lauren laughed halfheartedly. "Legolas, all of these elves here would love to be your friend! I can tell all of the girls would love to be more than that."  
  
"But why? Cause I'm the wealthiest? I can give them anything they want? To them I'm kinda like a celebrity as I've heard you call them. I can't trust anyone. They all want something from me. My last best friend always asked for my money and before that, I had a girlfriend that would brag about me to her friends, but cheat on me! I know you're not like that."  
  
"I'm sorry that's what it's like for you. I would love for you to come to Earth, but I think things might be better back to normal.  
  
Legolas sighed. "I will tell the truth. I'd hate for you to go."  
  
"Well, I'm going to leave tomorrow and I will tell the truth too. I'm going to miss you."  
  
Before Lauren knew it, Legolas's face was getting closer to hers. They got closer and closer till their lips were almost touching.  
  
A dancing elf almost fell on them and stepped on Lauren's hand, making her jump up.  
  
"Ow!" She said.  
  
"I'm sorry!" he said.  
  
"It's okay," Lauren answered as he walked away. Then she turned to Legolas. "I think I'll go inside. Want to come?"  
  
"Sure," Legolas said.  
  
  
  
Lauren sat on her bed brushing her hair and Legolas laid on the foot of the bed. "You look tired," Lauren said, but Legolas sort of jumped and got up. "Uh, what was that?" he mumbled. "You woke me up."  
  
Lauren looked a little skeptical. "Okay, weirdo. I said 'you look tired.' How can you sleep with you eyes open?"  
  
"Elves do that sometimes. Damn, I'm so tired I don't want to go to my own bed."  
  
"That's cause this place is like a small underground city and your room is kind of far!"  
  
"My father would kill me if he knew I asked you this, but can I just sleep here?"  
  
Lauren felt weird about letting him stay with her. She honestly had never slept with a boy alone...well, she had, but that was at a co-ed slumber party and she had other people in the room. "Um...okay."  
  
"I'll sleep outside the blanket. I remember what happened last time we slept near each other," Legolas said.  
  
Lauren blushed. Legolas blew out the candle and they both went to sleep.  
  
  
  
Lauren woke up with Legolas snuggled up against her back. She just laid there wondering if he was doing that on purpose.  
  
"Nah, that's silly," Lauren thought.  
  
"What's silly?" Legolas asked getting up.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You told me in your mind, 'nah, that's silly!'"  
  
"Oh," Lauren paused. "I didn't mean that directly to you."  
  
Legolas nodded. "Oh," he said, then paused. "You can't leave today."  
  
Lauren remembered her plan to leave. "I'm going to leave."  
  
"Will it hurt you to stay another week?"  
  
"Well, my parents must be freaked as it is! Now that you've reminded me, I'm going to go," she said. She pulled out the small mirror from the drawer and looked at it, then back at Legolas.  
  
"I can't wish myself back?" Lauren asked.  
  
Legolas shook his head. "Please don't leave. I have to tell you something."  
  
"What is it, Legolas?"  
  
"I...I think I've fallen in love with you," he said slowly. Lauren just stared at him, feeling as if she was going to faint. Never did she think a prince would like HER, let alone Prince LEGOLAS. He got closer to her. "I don't just think, I KNOW I'm in love with you. I've never felt this way and I don't want you to just walk out on me...the first girl I ever fell in love with."  
  
"Why?" Lauren choked out.  
  
Legolas's eyes widened. "WHY?! Cause your great! Your fun, you're the bravest girl I've ever met, your sweet, and the most beautiful person I've ever seen...ever"  
  
She was more choked up than ever, but Legolas still continued. "Your different from all of the elves and anyone I've ever met...! Say something, please, I feel strange."  
  
"Legolas," Lauren talked really slowly, trying to absorb all that she had just heard. He got closer to her and she got closer to them and she did something she never thought she would. She kissed Legolas. First it was just an innocent peck, then they started putting their arms around each other and kissed deeply. Legolas put his hand to Lauren's face and Lauren put her hands on his back and pulled him close.  
  
"Owww!" Legolas groaned, kind of in her mouth and he pulled back, falling on he bed. "It hurts, Lauren."  
  
"Oh no," Lauren said, remembering what the doctor said. "Your back!" She pulled up the back of his shirt and gasped. There were bandages all the way around his chest and around his back. There was a lot of brown, dried blood all through the bandages.  
  
"See," Legolas smiled. "You can't leave me now. I need you here."  
  
Lauren looked at the mirror on the bed that she had dropped. She picked it up and put it back in the drawer. "Good, cause I'm not leaving...yet."  
  
  
  
*hides face* That was dumb and mary-sue, but whatever. Sorry. 


	11. Thoughts about Death

Thoughts about Death  
  
The next morning Lauren slipped away to get some time to herself. She walked aimlessly through the halls, back and forth, around corners and in circles.  
  
"Do you wish to go outside?" Lauren jumped and then turned to see Orodmir.  
  
"Oh...well, yes, I do," Lauren admitted.  
  
"We leave late in the afternoon with our gol...things. You will have all of today to be with Thorwen and he can accompany you outside if you wish it."  
  
"I would like that...if he wouldn't mind," Lauren said.  
  
"He is not far, just exit through there," Orodmir pointed to one of the exits. "You will see him when you get outside."  
  
"Thank you," Lauren said, than ran out the door and up the stairs. The air was thick and humid. "Thorwen!" she yelled, though she could only see near- by trees in the mist. She could hear something coming, which she guessed was Thorwen.  
  
"Thorwen?" she called again.  
  
"Come to visit the old griffin, have you?"  
  
Lauren smiled. "I've come to see none other, Thorwen."  
  
"Shall we take a ride over this dratted thick air? I shall be glad to be breathing the fresh air above this old forest."  
  
"Yes, let's go," Lauren agreed, crawling on the griffins back. "I want to get away and see Mirkwood! Even better, be above it and look at all the sights."  
  
"Shall we see the human village? Gah, so long has it been since I looked upon the village of Annaway!"  
  
Lauren smiled. "That would be perfect."  
  
  
  
Thorwen flew over the fog of Mirkwood and above the air was much fresher and new. There wasn't one single cloud in the sky and Lauren could clearly see a village past the trees.  
  
"There it is!" Thorwen said eagerly. He sped up so that he could get there faster. When they landed and looked at the village, they saw that it was torn apart. There were household things [such as pots and clothes] all in the grass and the houses were beaten a bit, some of the doors left wide open or knocked off their hinges. Lauren saw Thorwen's eyes widen with terror when he looked from side to side. With her on his back, he charged forward, looking around. Lauren jumped off his back and without a word they separated and looked through the small village.  
  
Lauren screamed and Thorwen hurried to her side. He gasped. There was a woman with her lifeless eyes and dry mouth wide open in terror. She had been brutally beaten to death, undoubtedly by orcs. There was an old dagger beside her that must have belonged to an orc.  
  
Lauren turned her face, feeling her stomach churn. "We must get away from here..." she said. Glancing back at the dead woman, much like herself, she frantically screamed, "Let's get out of here NOW!"  
  
Her attempt to crawl on Thorwen's back failed and she passed out on the grass. Her scream echoed in the empty village and nearby, someone heard her...  
  
Thorwen picked Lauren up with his claws and flew in the air, but as he flew not much more than a yard up in the air, a thick, black arrow struck his wing. He gave a Griffin scream, which was heard by everything for miles away.  
  
Even Lauren was awoken by the scream to seethe griffin above her, which started to fall. Before she could scream herself, she fell into darkness and felt as if her bones were smooshed flat together.  
  
  
  
Thorwen immediately tried getting off Lauren, but hid her between his furry legs so the orcs couldn't see her. The orcs drew near with spears and swords. Thorwen screamed and tried to peck at them. One foolish orc got to close and that was a bloody, quick end for him.  
  
One orc threw a rope around Thorwen's neck and pulled it tightly. Before long, five orcs followed his example and Thorwen was trapped. The orcs were famished and weak, but with fifteen of them, they could take on the wounded griffin. They dragged him away from Lauren and a few other orcs took an interest in her.  
  
"She's mine," said the chief. "I shall do whatever I wish with her!"  
  
"You cantsss do thatsss!" hissed one. "Share some fun with some of the othersss."  
  
The chief raised his sword. "Are you going to stop me?"  
  
The skinny orc looked up at the thick orc chieftain and shook his head. "Nosss," he murmured.  
  
"That's what I thought," said the chief gruffly. "Now take the griffin to a tree and tie him up! I will take this girl!"  
  
Thorwen tried to fight back, but with his aching wing, he could hardly do anything!  
  
  
  
Legolas ran all over the underground house, but couldn't find Lauren anywhere. "Lauren, where are you?" he thought to her, but strangely, there was no answer!  
  
"Are you looking for something?" Legolas looked up to see Orodmir.  
  
"Yes...Lauren," he answered.  
  
"She is outside somewhere!" Orodmir said. "With Thorwen. I'm sure she's fine." Legolas didn't believe it. She couldn't be fine if she wasn't answering. How could she not be answering? Why would she not answer? "I have to go," Legolas said and ran as fast as he could away from Orodmir and to the 'magic' hall where he had found the spell book.  
  
He found the book and looked through it till he found the spell. "Lack of answering could be because of extreme sickness or..." Legolas couldn't finish out-loud, but he read the last word over and over again. Death. DEATH!  
  
  
  
"Lauren, where are you?" Lauren heard Legolas call to her desperately, but she was unable to move. She couldn't escape this darkness, nor could she move, nor call back to Legolas. She felt lost. She wondered if she was dead and this is what it felt to be dead?  
  
  
  
Legolas shut the book. "I've got to find her!" he said aloud to himself.  
  
  
  
Review!!! Be good peoples and review! 


	12. Orcs at Night

Orcs at Night  
  
When Lauren awoke she found herself lying on a rough, cold stone floor. She tried not to make a sound, though she wanted to scream at the sight of orcs sitting around a campfire, only about two feet away. Their reek was so foul that she tried holding her breath. Everything else around seemed to be completely dark. She guessed she was in some kind of orc-cave.  
  
"Legolas?" she thought.  
  
"Lauren!!!" Legolas answered. "I thought you were sick, or even worse, DEAD!"  
  
"I'm not dead, but I wish I were," Lauren said.  
  
"Why is that? Where are you? What happened?"  
  
"I don't know where I am, but I WAS in the human village I remember passing out or something after I saw a dead girl...now I'm with ORCS."  
  
"ORCS!" Legolas practically yelled inside Lauren's head. "Kill them! Blow them up with your fire-ball-thing!"  
  
"DUH!" Lauren said, mostly to herself. She reached for her neck, but the amulet was GONE! When she moved, her elbow brushed against the floor and the orcs look over at her. "Legolas, my amulet is gone and now they see that I'm awake!"  
  
"I have to find you! What do you see?"  
  
"Nothing! All I see is a little fire with orcs around it. We could be in a cave?"  
  
Legolas kept on talking, but Lauren couldn't concentrate on what he was saying with the orcs coming closer.  
  
"Human girl is awake, yes! What shall we do with her? Kills her, eat her, I hopes!" said a scrawny orc.  
  
"No!" growled the chief. "If you wish to eat, go get one of the dead girls in the village. One of the ones that YOU ALL killed!"  
  
"Mmmm...no, griffins attacks me, they will!" the little one replied.  
  
One of the chief's large-orc friends growled. "What will you do with her?"  
  
The chief looked at Lauren and smiled. He stood and got close enough to her so that he could grab her chin and look at her eye to eye. Lauren shivered.  
  
He laughed, his foul breath blowing in her face. "I'll keep her. I will tame her myself if I must. She is for my private and personal pleasures, you hear me you black hearted scoundrels?! Whoever doesn't like it..." he jumped up, unsheathed his sword, and beheaded the scrawny orc. "...will answer to me. Now, EAT! We will run when it gets dark outside."  
  
Lauren closed her eyes while the orcs took apart their food piece by piece like wild, starving dogs.  
  
The orcs ate for a while, gnawing every bone till it was practically clean of meat. Lauren sat up cautiously. They all watched her, but didn't show any sign of not wanting her to move, so Lauren took her plain, green dress and ripped the end so it went to her knees. She knew she'd probably have to do a lot of walking. Ugh, if only she could tell Legolas where she was!  
  
"Legolas," she said in her head.  
  
"What happened? Why weren't you answering?! I was having a panic attack!"  
  
"Sorry...well, I found that they probably don't want to kill me. As long as the chief is alive, I think I don't have to worry about dying...but he's scaring me in his own way. He seems to want me for his own 'personal pleasures'. I'm not sure I really want to know what he means, but I think I already do..."  
  
"Uh, no, I AM gonna have a panic attack! I've got to save you. Any sort of landmark you see, tell me."  
  
"I will, Legolas. I'm so glad I can at least talk to you. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't!"  
  
"I love you."  
  
"I love you too," Lauren answered. "Now I'm about to do something crazy. I'm gonna talk to the orcs."  
  
"WHAT? You can't do that..." Legolas babbled, but Lauren ignored him.  
  
"Um, excuse me?" Lauren murmured.  
  
All eyes turned to her. "The little mouse squeaks, does she?" snapped one. "I suggest you don't talk..."  
  
"NO ONE GIVES ORDERS BUT ME!" yelled the chief, punching the orc. Then he looked at Lauren. "Speak quickly!"  
  
"Uh, what happened to the griffin I was with?"  
  
"He's in the forest, tied up near the human village. But it doesn't matter to you! You'll never see that yellow-bellied bird again. Now don't speak any more tonight! You will speak rarely and not much more than when I ask you something, ya hear?"  
  
"Yes," Lauren answered. She smiled. Though he didn't know it, he had helped her.  
  
"Legolas, get someone to go to the human village. Thorwen is tied to a tree!"  
  
"I'll do that. Just...be careful. And find out where you are!"  
  
  
  
Sorry for the shortness of this chapter. I'm buried, but I'll try harder, okay? 


	13. Emotion Sickness lame chappie

Emotion Sickness  
  
That night was the longest night Lauren had ever experienced. In the night, the orcs were quick and quiet on the small road, while Lauren staggered and tripped amongst them through the darkness.  
  
"Legolas, I don't get it. They've led me in the forest again!"  
  
"What? No, that can't be! I thought the orcs were driven out!"  
  
"Well, I know this is Mirkwood. Please find me."  
  
"You won't have to worry," Legolas said. "I'm not stopping till I find you."  
  
  
  
Lauren coughed and sputtered when they finally came to a stop. She was soaked with sweat, grime, and her shirt was covered with whatever she had last eaten. They had made her run even though she was dehydrated. "Now, we will hide in this cave and sleep through the day! By next nightfall, we shall be with the rest!"  
  
Lauren wondered what the orc chief meant when he said 'the rest', but she guessed it was another small orc group like this one, hopelessly wandering the forest. The orc chief grabbed her arm and steered her into the cave, but before they were in complete darkness, she caught a glimpse of a gold amulet hanging around a gold chain on the chief's neck. It was the amulet of Orodmir!  
  
If she could only get it, her biggest problem would be over. If only she could just grab it, blow on it, and blast the orcs to pieces! But she was trapped with the beasts. A few other times, the chief had killed the weakest orc to eat, but what looked just as worse was the old meat they carried and gnawed on occasionally. It had a horrible reek and was rotten to the bone.  
  
A few more days went by. With every day, it seemed that more orcs joined the group, until there was at least a hundred. Things were getting worse and the chief was having trouble dealing with all of them and their demands and complaints. So the heads still rolled, most of the remaining orcs stayed thick and well fed, where as Lauren was getting pale from the lack of light and the unbearable smells.  
  
But not only that, the orcs were making her physically sick. She wouldn't eat any of the orc's meat and even if she would, it could only make things worse. She did have a few pieces of bread, but now the only bread left was stale and blue with mold. Within ten days, she had to be carried because the long runs were too hard for her.  
  
  
  
The chief always took Lauren in her own spot away from the orcs and he guarded her. He didn't trust any anyone and especially didn't trust Lauren, but he still wasn't mean to her. Actually, she was the only one he talked to without yelling, but it hardly comforted her. The chief's desires were evil and Lauren knew he was lusting in his heart for her. She dreaded any sort of time where he could try something...like rape her. The thought scared her so she felt constantly afraid. She had read about orcs raping elves in some of Tolkein's writings.  
  
Then another part of her couldn't believe he would do that. Yes, he was a cannibal, but he talked different from all the orcs. Normal.  
  
"Eat," he said, tossing her some moldy bread.  
  
Lauren lay down and ignored the piece of bread he had thrown. "EAT IT! You will die! You have been eating little this whole way."  
  
"I can't eat," Lauren said softly. "I'll either die or get away. And I know I can't get away now. I have no strength. So I'll die. The sooner I can be free from orcs, one way or another, things will be fine."  
  
The chief started cursing about something, but Lauren didn't care what he was saying. But then he got next to her and fell asleep. She couldn't smell the foul orcs any longer, but felt worse and worse all the time. There was an unbearable pain that made it hard for her to sleep.  
  
"Legolas, I'm dying," Lauren said, but there was no answer. "Legolas? LEGOLAS?!"  
  
  
  
"Lauren, is anything any better?" Legolas asked, but there was nothing. He called her over and over, feeling more frantic with every call. Only great sickness or death could stop the mind-link.  
  
He, like her, was getting weak. He spent every night looking for her, whether on horseback or by Thorwen and through most of the day, he searched maps and looked for any signs of where the orcs could be. But it seemed that there were orc tracks everywhere, on every road and in every direction, and no sign of Lauren anywhere.  
  
Legolas ran through the halls. Not long ago he had woken up from a catnap and he was going to grab a snack and leave again, when his father stopped him.  
  
"Legolas, it is hopeless. I will not let you leave here again till you get over this obsession! You have a future ahead of you and I'm afraid it is without Lauren. We will have war again with the orcs and you must be at your full strength."  
  
Legolas knew his father was right to some degree. He was the strongest, fastest of the warriors and was needed...but Lauren seemed so much more important than anything.  
  
"I will leave one more time and if I don't find her this time, I will stop."  
  
King Thranduil shook his head. He wasn't sure what to do. He knew his son's heart was breaking. "One more time..."  
  
  
  
Lauren woke up shivering. It had gotten cold and she wasn't heavily dressed. She purposely showed signs that she was cold, but the orcs wouldn't give up any of their old tattered blankets. They'd be better than nothing!  
  
Lauren stood when all of the orcs did. A large orc was appointed to carry Lauren that night, so like every night, she was slung over an orc's shoulder. Something about this night...she felt as if the end was near. Before she had been scared of death, but she couldn't wait for her gnawing pain to be over at last.  
  
  
  
That cold, dark night Legolas road aimlessly through the forest and on the roads. He'd given up hope with maps! He continually called Lauren's name in his mind and occasionally out loud, but he heard nothing in return...  
  
  
  
Lauren was drifting in and out of consciousness. She was being bounced around harder than ever. She had never seen the orcs run so fast. They acted as if something was coming after them!  
  
Finally, Lauren fully woke up. She heard a few breathless words in the group: elf, horse, gaining.  
  
'Legolas?' Lauren wondered. 'Could it be?'  
  
"LAUREN!!!" she heard her name being called by Legolas himself! His voice echoed through the cold night.  
  
"LEGOLAS!!" Lauren screamed back. The orc chief turned to look at her, his eyes glowing a fiery red. Lauren had never seen him this angry towards her. "Take them down the road!" the chief ordered. "I will hide her and catch up with you back at the next stopping point!"  
  
"LEGOLAS!!!" Lauren screamed again.  
  
"I'm coming!" Legolas yelled.  
  
"They're taking me a..." just then the chief hit her face and she felt as if her head was being knocked off. She couldn't scream at all, but fell limply and with a thud hit the ground.  
  
The chief grabbed her shoulders and was prepared to pull her and hide her off the road...but it would be better if he left her. He couldn't decide, but the sound of hooves was drawing nearer. From the beginning he had lusted over Lauren, but now she looked half as bad as an orc! She was skinny, scrawny, raddy, and filthy. There was nothing to want any more or lust after, so the chief ran quickly after the group of orcs, leaving Lauren behind.  
  
  
  
Lauren awoke with elves above her. She recognized the elf-doctor that had cared for her before. Then she saw Legolas and actually laughed. Tears streamed from her eyes. "Legolas!"  
  
He kissed her wet cheek and smiled at her. "Shhh, crying and laughing can be for later. But now you must sleep," he said, then frowned. "You cannot walk and until you can, you must stay here."  
  
"What's wrong with me, doctor? Will I be okay?"  
  
"You've had stomach worms, viruses, colds, flu's and many other things I can't bear to tell you. You must sleep. You have been asleep for days and you're healing very quickly, but you must sleep more."  
  
Lauren was grossed out beyond imaginable! Worms?  
  
"Legolas, you'll be here when I wake up?"  
  
Legolas smiled and stroked Lauren's face. "Would I leave you at all?"  
  
The doctor looked on and grinned. "Legolas has hardly left your side since he brought you here." He then slipped away to give them some privacy.  
  
Lauren smiled too. "No wonder why I love you so much, wonder-boy. Your perfect."  
  
Legolas laughed. "Hardly! I was just told once: if you yearn for something, fight for it."  
  
"And you yearned for...me?"  
  
"With all of my heart," Legolas said and kissed her.  
  
  
  
God that was so lame...  
  
But will Lauren ever get her amulet back? When will she be going home? And if she does go home will that break Legolas's heart forever?  
  
Dun, dun, dun! Wait and see youngin's! :)  
  
Brilaglar 


	14. The End of Orcs, the End of It All

The End of Orcs  
Within a few days, Lauren gained most of her former strength and was able to walk around the underground halls like she used to, but she did have some new scars to add to her little collection, including one at her hairline.  
  
"I'm confused," Legolas said, giving a side-glance at Lauren as they walked through the halls of bustling elves. "I'm not sure what the orcs are doing. They left, ran all over Mirkwood, and then left again."  
  
"Maybe they saw me use that amulet and wanted it?"  
  
"If so, that cannot be good. It's a weapon that could hurt us greatly if they knew how to use it," Legolas said. "And if they knew the chief had it, they would finally gang up on him and kill him...then fight amongst themselves."  
  
"That WOULD be good," Lauren said.  
  
Legolas paused. "Yes, it could solve our problem. I hope it happens like that."  
  
"I don't know," Lauren shrugged. "I think it'd be too good to be true. But it has happened before."  
  
Legolas looked skeptical. "Oh?"  
  
"I mean, it WILL happen. It's hard to explain, but one day orcs will be fighting over an expensive mithril shirt and kill each other...what am I babbling about? Oh, never mind!"  
  
"How do you know what will happen in the future?"  
  
Lauren bit her lip. "I...uh...read about it in a book."  
  
Legolas laughed. "You read in that old library far too much!"  
  
"No, there are books where I come from about kings, wars, castles...Mirkwood and even you. There are stories of things that haven't yet happened!"  
  
Legolas was amazed. "What are these books called? I shall read them!"  
  
"No, Legolas, you can't read them. You can't know what will happen in your own future even if you ever do come to earth!"  
  
"Your world is fascinating. I almost wish to be there," Legolas said.  
  
  
  
Back in the darkness the orcs lurked. They were getting stronger as the days passed and more and more ready for a war. As always, the chief snarled out orders and sliced up whoever didn't obey him, and by this point everyone was willing to obey him...until his right hand orc noticed the little gold bauble hanging on a gold chain that looked most intriguing.  
  
His name was Wothfak and he had proved the most trustworthy and hard- working orc. He feared their chief more than anyone, for he knew that the chief had killed more living things than every orc in their group put together!  
  
But the little amulet was such a pretty thing and he wanted it! He was going to try and get it, no matter what it cost him. The more he looked, the more he longed for it. The chief noticed Wothfak's longing eyes and hid the amulet under his armor. "You will die if you try to take this. The pretty thing belongs to ME."  
  
Wothfak nodded and grinned with sharp teeth. 'We'll see about that CHIEF!' he thought.  
  
  
  
Two days later, Lauren came across Legolas looking very excited and pleased. "It happened! The orcs are dead! Almost every single one!"  
  
"What happened?" Lauren gasped.  
  
Legolas smiled. "The dirty scoundrels fought each other till their death, but the chief had survived!"  
  
"He's alive?"  
  
"No, he was dying when we found him. He didn't have the amulet. But he was babbling on about his 'trinket' and it being 'stolen'. I assume whoever took it got away, cause we never found it."  
  
Lauren sighed. "It's just a pretty necklace that destroys things. I don't need. It was of use to me for a time...but I've decided that when the orcs were dead, I'd go home."  
  
Legolas frowned. "For good?"  
  
"Unless there is a way for me to come back," Lauren said.  
  
"And there isn't," Legolas said slowly. "Not one I can think of!"  
  
"I will leave tomorrow. You have no idea how much I miss home."  
  
  
  
Lauren stared upwards at the roof of tree branches and leaves. The sun was shining through and the air was surprisingly, BREATHABLE!  
  
*Flashback*  
  
"I love you, Lauren," her mom said, holding her tight. Both of them were crying. They had been fighting all day. "My life would be over if I lost you. I'm sorry."  
  
Lauren sniffed and tried to stop the tears. "I love you too, Mom."  
  
*End*  
  
Lauren shook her head, but the words echoed in her mind. "My life would be over if I lost you." That's when she knew she'd have to go...and NOW. Her parents were probably miserable without her. They probably thought she had disappeared into thin air!  
  
She walked to Legolas's room and on the way she saw children playing. "I am Brilaglar! I will turn you to dust with my magic necklace!" a girl cried, holing out a locket.  
  
Her big brother pretended to be frightened. "Do not hurt me!"  
  
"You will die you unworthy orc!" she shouted. "I am Brilaglar! Bravest of all humans!"  
  
Lauren walked past them and smiled. How she was going to miss the old place.  
  
"Legolas..." she said slowly when he came to his door. "I must leave. Now."  
  
"What? I thought you were gonna stay till tomorrow!"  
  
"I have to go...it's time I should go where I belong."  
  
Legolas embraced her and kissed her forehead, ignoring the stares. He didn't care who saw. He loved her and he wasn't afraid to show everyone. "I'm going to be lost without you. Who will I have?"  
  
Lauren felt tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "Don't make it harder, Legolas!"  
  
Legolas kissed her on the lips, one more time, slow and long.  
  
  
  
Lauren gripped the mirror and looked at it. For a moment she was unable to move or do anything. She just stared at it.  
  
"I wish...I...," she stammered. "I wish to go back to where I came from!"  
  
  
  
Lauren sat up suddenly in the backseat of her family van. "MOM! DAD! I'm back!"  
  
Her dad looked back at her in the review mirror. "What?"  
  
"I was gone for more that a month dad! I missed you guys so much!" Lauren said and hugged her six-year-old sister, Cara.  
  
"What are you talking about? You must have had a dream!"  
  
"No, I didn't, it was real!" Lauren objected.  
  
"Uh oh," her brother Noah said. "Lauren has gone COO COO!"  
  
"Honey, it was just a dream. Just sit back, we'll be home in fifteen minutes."  
  
For those fifteen minutes, Lauren thought really hard about what had happened. She remembered the very moment she arrived in Mirkwood and it all had started in her car after lunch. And it WAS 12:45, not much after lunchtime...what if...?  
  
Lauren wanted to cry. She had felt like she had really drawn close to an IMAGINARY character and she had thought it all happened. She could never look back and miss Legolas, cause the truth was, she never had him at all.  
  
  
  
After Lauren had gone, Legolas did a lot of thinking. What was he going to do without Lauren? Soon everything would settle down again and he'd have to attend balls and dance with the "respectable girls". Again, he'd have people almost wanting to audition to be his best friend and that's not what he wanted...he wanted a TRUE friend.  
  
He grabbed the mirror off the floor where it had fallen after Lauren had wished herself away. He had a wish of his own. It could cause him a lot of trouble, but he was going to take a chance...  
  
  
  
Lauren looked outside her window with a frown until they drove in their new driveway. "We're HOME, kids!" her dad announced. The three other kids literally leaped out while screaming "YAY!" and "HOME!" over and over again.  
  
But Lauren grabbed a box and slowly walked in. It was a nice house, but she hardly cared.  
  
Then all of the sudden she remembered something that made her drop the box and leap for the bathroom. It didn't take long for her to find it and when she did she went straight to the mirror. She looked at her head and pulled her hair out of her face so she could see her hairline.  
  
"YES!" she screamed. "It's THERE!"  
  
"What? WHAT?!" her mom yelled, running in. "What happened?!"  
  
Lauren blushed. "I knew I felt a pimple on my cheek on the way here and here it is!" she said.  
  
Her mom rolled her eyes. "Just unpack and wash your face afterwards."  
  
Lauren looked again once more. Yes, the scar was definitely there. So it HAD happened. Legolas was real and he was somewhere missing her.  
  
The doorbell rang, but Lauren ignored it. She just looked at the scar and smiled.  
  
"Why, hello!" she heard her mom say.  
  
"Hey, I see that you guys are new in the neighborhood and I thought I'd stop by. Really strange, actually...I just moved in across the street." Lauren froze. That voice...what the hell?  
  
She ran into the front room and almost screamed, but all she could do was stare and gape at the smiling young man, about eighteen. Not only was he drop-dead gorgeous...it was LEGOLAS! With short, spiked blond hair and dressed, well, normal!  
  
"My name is Legolas," he said.  
  
Lauren's little brother laughed. "Legolas? Did you bring your bow and arrow with you?" he mocked.  
  
"Actually no, I keep that in Mirkwood," Legolas said honestly.  
  
Lauren couldn't help, but laugh. He had thought her brother was serious. "Why are you staring like that?" her mom asked.  
  
Lauren jumped, noticing that she WAS staring. "No reason...just surprised that we have a neighbor named Legolas."  
  
"Like in the books...yes, it is strange," he said, nodding.  
  
"Legolas, do you want me to show you around a little?" Lauren asked.  
  
"Sure, Lauren," he said and they walked away.  
  
"Why is she giving him a tour? She doesn't even know anything about the house yet!" Noah said.  
  
"And even stranger how did he know her name? We didn't even tell him!" answered mom.  
  
  
  
"Legolas! What are you doing here? Are you crazy?"  
  
"Crazy about you," he said, getting closer to her. "I have wished for the power to travel between both worlds and I will stay with you until we're older and we can explore to the ends of Middle Earth together."  
  
Lauren giggled and Legolas grabbed both of her hands and held them. "I told you, I cannot be without you...I'd hate to be alone forever."  
  
Then, he kissed the one he thought he never would be able to kiss again, but now he was able to kiss her whenever he pleased. They were best friends for four years and got married...and they disappeared after then. And no one knew what had become of them.  
  
[But I'll let you in on the secret. Thranduil preformed a spell so that Lauren would be half-elven and she would live forever like Legolas. She spent many years of adventures with Legolas, but took time to stop when Legolas went to fight as one of the Fellowship.  
  
Then, they lived happily ever after, in the Havens, to the end of their days.]  
  
  
  
Yes, gay, yet interesting twist, don't you think? THE END!!! I shall be returning to Gondor High in about...ten days? Be checking at that. I'm honestly glad I can get back to Gondor High. *sigh* It's the only fic I think I'm good at.  
  
REVIEW!  
  
Lauren 


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